The Population Council has been actively providing evidence to all stakeholders, including political leadership, establishing the linkage between Pakistan’s current problems and the root cause — its rapidly expanding population. Global examples abound, showcasing countries with similar challenges where bold leadership decisions and a commitment to population planning led to phenomenal improvements in their development trajectories. For instance, in the post-revolution Iran, the Supreme Leader issued an edict that led to a successful population planning programme. Kenya, Indonesia and Rwanda experienced successful population planning programmes and subsequent economic turnarounds with strong support from their heads of government. In the pre-election period, it is an opportune moment for political leaders to demonstrate genuine leadership.
