Pakistan's Dual Challenge: Population Boom and Climate Crisis

In a stark warning issued on Wednesday, Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb identified the surging population and climate change as critical existential threats to the country. With more than 250 million residents, Pakistan ranks as the sixth largest nation globally, yet it grapples with severe exposure to climate-induced adversities.

Addressing a business assembly in Karachi, Aurangzeb highlighted the growing pressure on the country's limited resources, aggravated by unpredictable weather patterns and global warming. He emphasized that resolving these issues is essential to unlocking Pakistan's potential, stating that acknowledging the minimal carbon footprint is insufficient in the face of climate devastation.

Lawmakers are increasingly recognizing the urgency of these challenges. Recent calls for declaring rapid population growth as a national emergency have been met with discussions at the Parliamentary Forum on Population. Meanwhile, religious conservatives continue to resist population control measures, viewing them as contrary to Islamic principles.