Having observed World Population Day last week, we are reminded of the fact that Pakistan’s population has grown by 70 million over the last two decades, making it the fifth most populous country in the world with a tally of more than 208 million people. Pakistan’s population is currently estimated at 240.5 million and is projected to reach 403 million by 2050. People need to talk about population issues in today’s world of unease and uncertainty. For example, early marriages, early child bearing that is, adolescents giving birth to a child without spacing resulting in too many pregnancies and too early unwanted pregnancies. In today’s world, it is unlikely that any woman would bear 14 children but in Pakistan, it is still happening.
