HAFIZABAD/SHEIKHUPURA – International Population Day was observed here in the district on Wednesday.
In this connection, a seminar with the theme ‘Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services in the Development of Community’ was arranged by District Population Department in a local Marriage Hall.
Punjab Parliamentary Secretary Assad Ullah was chief guest on the occasion.
Addressing the seminar, Assad Ullah said that the day reminds us that a huge number of people are suffering from abject poverty, starvation, malnutrition, diseases, illiteracy, lack of access to healthcare, wars and all kinds of social, political and economic injustice.
He said that the Punjab government was utilising all resources to overcome for increasing population across the province.
He said that no planning was a major factor in increasing population and to fail all measures taken by government for providing health, education, employment and other facilities to the masses.
Assad Ullah stressed upon participants to keep their family size according to available resources and spread the message in the society to overcome increasing population.
In Hunjra Shah Muqeem, the World Population Day was observed on Wednesday (today) to reaffirm resolve the family planning.
In this connection, RHC Welfare Center Hujra II In-charge Dr Muneeb organized a seminar with the aimed to mark the World Population Day.
The event was chaired by District Population Welfare Officer and Tehsil officer, MS RHC speaking on the occasion, they highlighted the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights.
They said that Pakistan’s population had increased from 34 million in 1951 to 144 million in mid 2001. The addition of over 108 million Pakistanis in just five decades is due to the high population growth rates in the last 30 years.
They said that the future of the world progress and prosperity depends on educating and empowering women. They stressed the need for family planning as it directly impacts cost savings in the health sector, in promoting maternal health, neonatal and child health They urged the government to advocates programmes for spacing and limiting of childbirth to promote better health for mothers and children. Continuing high population growth will amount to Pakistan’s population reaching 220 million by the year 2020. The Pakistani government will announce new ‘National Population Policy’ on the occasion of World Population Day,” they suggested
In Sheikhupura, the World Population Day was observed on Wednesday with the theme “Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services” in the development of the community.
In this connection, a walk programme organized to create awareness to the general public to control population.
PML-N District President Arif Khan Sandhila, Population Welfare Department DD-O Farooq Azam, Tehsil Officer Sardar Mehboob Dogar and others were also participated in the walk.
On the occasion, Arif Khan Sandhila has said that this day is to reminds that a huge number of people, running into billions, suffer from abject poverty, starvation, malnutrition, diseases, illiteracy, lack of access to healthcare, wars and all kinds of social, political and economic injustice.
DDO Population Welfare Farooq Azam highlighted significance of the World Population Day saying the world holds 7,025,071,966 people as on July 9, 2012, a leap of over 2.5 times over the last fifty years, while earth’s resources remain finite.