Pakistan will enter 2026 as the world's fifth-most populous nation, exceeding 225 million people, amid high growth rates and demographic challenges.
UNFPA Key Warnings
The United Nations Population Fund stresses viewing population as a driver for sustainable development rather than a burden. It highlights intensified urgency from rapid fertility rates, gender disparities, and climate risks.
Proposed Reforms
UNFPA urges revamping national planning, especially the NFC formula, to reward provinces for advances in gender equality, climate resilience, health, and education quality instead of sheer population size. Implementation of Council of Common Interests recommendations is called for, with accountability, timelines, and domestic funding backed by solid data.
Persistent Challenges
High maternal mortality, unmet family planning needs, early marriages, gender-based violence, and poor access to reproductive health in remote areas hinder fertility decline and even development
