‘Pakistan's population likely to surge past 330 million by 2050’

• Information minister says increasing population is as alarming as destruction caused by climate change.
• Populace expected to hit 260.3 million in 2030 and 330.8 million by 2050, she says.
• "In 75 years, Pakistan's population has reached from 30 million to 230 million."

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's total population will likely surge past 330 million by 2050, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Thursday, as she stressed the need to control the growth rate.

"Soon, a national emergency plan will be unveiled to deal with the growing population," she said during her address to a ceremony held to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Population Council.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a national action task force meeting next week in this regard, and provinces have also been given representation in it, she said.

Providing predictions of the population growth in the years to come, the federal minister said the populace is expected to hit 260.3 million in 2030 and 330.8 million by 2050.

She also said as the world's total population hit 8 billion during the ongoing year, Pakistan's populace reached 230 million. "In 75 years, Pakistan's population has reached from 30 million to 230 million."

Aurangzeb said in terms of population, Pakistan is the fifth largest country.

Pakistan's population, she said, is growing at 2% annually, and it is essential for the government to deal with the challenges related to it. She said there is a need for a national narrative on the issue.

"If we want a national narrative, then all stakeholders will need to be consulted. The issue should be discussed openly on government platforms."

"Increasing population is as alarming as destruction caused by climate change," she added.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) officials, according to The News, said last week that Pakistan is among the eight countries where more than half of the increase in global population leading up to 2050 will be concentrated.

Growing at an average annual rate of almost 2%, Pakistan is home to almost 3% of the world’s population, the officials said.

The world population surged past 8 billion people earlier this month, the UN said, warning that more hardship is in store for regions already facing resource scarcity due to climate change.

Whether it's food or water, batteries or gasoline, there will be less to go around as the global population adds another 2.4 billion people by the 2080s, according to UN projections.