Comments on: Our population time bomb

By: Aumir

Aumir — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:52:19 +0000

When our leaders are in power issues like this has never been their priority to address rather putting their focus on other dimensions where they strongly feel their interest are served . Surprisingly when they are not in power every thing becomes their priority to address if they come into power. (This is bitter but a painful truth !!!!!!!!!)

By: Asif

Asif — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:38:29 +0000

A small correction to the article: The population time bomb is not ticking, it has already EXPLODED!

By: S. Subrahmanyam

S. Subrahmanyam — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:16:26 +0000

We, in India, faced a similar issue three decades back. The crude, forced sterilisation by Sanjay Gandhi in the Seventies setback the family planning efforts. However, the population growth is now near replacement levels, thanks to Sarva Shikhsha Abhiyan, which tries to provide universal free education to all boys and girls for nine years. This has worked in many states and Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab have achieved impressive results. It is now the problem with backward states like UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh etc where we have a problem.

The best and the only way is to educate the girls, enforce the laws on child marriages and educate the women on birth control measures. You would be surprised at the progress that has been made in the Muslim majority Kashmir Valley where the most heartening sight is the number of girls you see on the streets in school uniforms!

By: kamran

kamran — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:09:36 +0000

The government needs to be more efficient about it. The outreach of government is more than any other institution be it the clergy or religious institutions. The influence of clergy on Pakistani society is often exaggerated perhaps due to the stress out on the subject in international media's discourse or in the reports and statements of powerful foreign states, institutions and diplomats. In fact most of the rural Pakistan adheres to a very tolerant version of faith and clergy do not wield any significant power. They are even not allowed in local Punchayats or informal decision making processes. So government needs to educate people, introduce one or two child policy, allocate scholarships to those with one child.

By: Irfan Husain

Irfan Husain — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:02:56 +0000

Sadly, no TV host or politician is willing to talk about this ticking time-bomb.

By: Morad786 (UK)

Morad786 (UK) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 08:44:43 +0000

Education! Education! Education! is the cure for all ills in society!

IQRA!

By: Riaz Hussain Heryani

Riaz Hussain Heryani — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:53:50 +0000

The population of Pakistan can only be controlled if clergy is convinced that birth control measures are permissible in Islam. I have watched number of TV talk shows on birth control in which religious scholars were invited to comments. All religious scholars except one from Shia school of thoughts, were unanimously against birth control. Bangladesh has achieved birth control to some extent by spreading message of birth control through Prayer Leaders in respective mosques.

By: Asad Malik

Asad Malik — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 04:48:28 +0000

This is the single most important issue which needs to be addressed after corruption. Our economy cannot sustain such rapid population growth and issues such as food, water and health will exponentially increase with our mammoth population.

By: BRR

BRR — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 04:23:09 +0000

If the economy were doing well, population growth would not have been such a big problem. But with economy in doldrums, population out of control, unemployment rising, education abysmal, it is not a good scenario.