Pakistan is a country known for being star-crossed. Whenever a star appears over this byzantine country, it is invariably viewed as a foreboding omen. Albeit, to this day, the very source of discord that led it from economic collapse to severe inflation, political instability to civil polarisation, water shortage to land degradation, academic shortcomings to underage labours, and rural urbanisation to deforestation is unbridled population growth quietly drawing unseen meteors.
In Pakistan, the population is burgeoning rapidly at a growth rate of 2.55% annually and, according to United Nations estimates, is ranked as the 5th most populated country in the world. The growing population has proven to be an agent of meteors’ arrival; one of them is child labor. Middle-class families having multiple children later in life have no choice but to be unable to nurture their children properly, depriving them of the right to education and making them do hazardous labour work. As the saying goes, “for a nation, children are shining stars in the sky,” but in our sky, stars don’t shine anymore because it has clouded itself with labour and scrounging. The reasons are pretty obvious because these families are unable to make ends meet, let alone provide children with basic amenities in a comet-stricken country that is about to collide with several catastrophic comet clusters. Uncontrolled population surge plays the role of gravitational force in escalating the velocity of falling meteorites. To stop meteorites from falling, dealing with the gravity of a burgeoning population is more of a concern. Implementing comprehensive family planning campaigns tailored to specific regions can play a pivotal role in raising awareness about contraceptive methods. Simultaneously, fostering gender equality empowers women to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives. Promoting widespread education and creating economic opportunities even further contribute to averting the impending collision. However, overcoming the gravitational pull of a surging population remains a theoretical endeavour; for that, let us rewrite the cosmic narrative, steering away from the collision course through these campaigns that are akin to winds that disperse the clouds in the sky, allowing our children to once again shine like the stars they are meant to be.
TAHIR JAMAL
NAWABSHAH
Population dynamics
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