IF Pakistan’s population growth rate from 1947 was supposed to be two per cent per annum instead of three, then the country’s present population should have been 120 million instead of 180 million. Japan’s population was 35 million in 1947, the same as that of West Pakistan.

Due to uncontrolled increase in population growth, Pakistan’s population has surpassed Japan’s population of 127 million people.

The extra increase of 55 million is the real cause of Pakistan’s problems, which has given birth to numerous crises: un-employment, load shedding, deteriorating law and order situation, inflation, etc. Not to mention, the lack of management, corruption and bad governance.

In view of the above statistics, the major problem of Pakistan is population growth which can be termed as “population explosion.”

The agenda and mission of one per cent population growth rate per annum should be chalked out and all attempts be made to achieve it, because judging by the rapid increase in birth rates and constant flow of immigrants from neighbouring countries, the population of Pakistan will greatly accelerate to around 250 million by 2020.

SAALIM SALAM ANSARIKarachi