ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Monday remarked that public awareness as well as legislation would be required to control the population bomb in the country.
The Chief Justice passed these remarks while heading a three-judge bench hearing a suo moto notice regarding population growth in the country.
During course of proceedings, Attorney General (AG) informed the court that population control was assigned to the provinces after the 18th Amendment however one province has reservations over forming of a ‘national policy’ on the matter. He further informed that Iran, Bangladesh and China had taken step regarding to control population and got positive results, adding that Iranian population growth rate had been reduced 50 percent now after taking measure in this regard.
The Chief Justice remarked that "we cannot even think that how people are surviving in interior Sindh, adding whether the provincial government ever realized this".
In last ten years, the government did not take concrete steps to control population, however the new government have to take steps on war footing, the Chief Justice added. "People do not think even how important the case is for the country, the Chief Justice stated that the growing population is resulting in a shortage of resources and housing".
The Chief Justice said that the women were used as a tool, adding that we need to give women a high status and safeguard to make this campaign successful, he added.
He observed that without stemming population growth, the country’s development plans cannot succeed, adding that provinces need to follow a policy made at the federal level.
Justice Umar Atta Bandiyal observed that merely distributing pamphlets about the issue would not be enough as people had to be made to understand the core of the matter and be given an incentive. The Chief Justice remarked that if a policy would be made today then its results will be witnessed five years from now, adding that he dreads to see the day when there will not be anything left to eat due to over-population.