Rapid population growth putting pressure on resource base in Sindh, says CM.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the province is facing the dual problems of birth rate increase and migration from within and other countries which is posing a serious challenge to the shrinking resource base on one side and job creation, managing food and housing, health and educational facilities on the other.

He said keeping in view our limited resources in contrast to the increasing population, it was of utmost importance to create a balance between the population size and resource base.

The chief minister stated this while presiding over a Sindh Population Task Force meeting here at CM House on Thursday. He said the task force, a follow-up of a decision taken by the Council of Common Interests and suo motu by the Supreme Court, consisted of eminent citizens and highly experienced professionals from the public sector and development partners.

The meeting was attended among others by Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho, Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, principal secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, provincial secretaries, focal person of the Sindh Task Force Dr Talib Lashari, representatives of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID and Aga Khan Hospital.

Referring to the achievements of the task force, the chief minister said he hoped the task force would continue to build upon those achievements and would come up with policy guidelines and practical approaches in due course of time.

Dr Talib Lashari, giving a presentation at the meeting, said that Pakistan was on the top in population growth rate in Asian countries. However, he said, the working group chaired by the health minister had taken major decisions such as functional integration of the health and population departments; task sharing of lady health workers and health visitors and distribution of free contraceptives to relevant nongovernmental organisations and appropriate health facilities for post-pregnancy family planning.

It was also pointed out that...