President Arif Alvi on Friday said every citizen had to play their role indigenously to stop ever increasing population, adding that higher increase rate of inhabitants of country posed sever socio-economic threats.
During an interaction with senior journalists here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president on Friday highlighted the media’s key role in addressing the issues and challenges related to population and health.
“Media could play an important role in shaping up public opinion and behaviors regarding family planning” the president stressed during the meeting.
He mentioned that focusing on the population issue in television talk shows and drama serials could also prove effective in conveying the message to the public.
The president also emphasized the need for political will with an active input by parliamentarians to lead a mass movement of advocacy on population management.
He also advised to properly highlight the discussion of the parliamentary caucus on population growth for public consumption.
He acknowledged the positive role of Ulema in raising awareness on family planning and mentioned his initiative of the Friday sermons by scholars using the platform of the Presidency’s Mosque to highlight various social issues.
He added that Islam emphasizes that mothers breastfeed their children for two years, which could help achieve adequate birth spacing and overcome the problem of stunting and malnourishment.
Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan said unplanned population growth could become an issue of national security, where the future generation grows in absence of proper education and health facilities.
