ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister Mustafa Kamal warned that Pakistan is set to overtake Indonesia, becoming top populated country in the world within just five years.
With nearly 6.2 million children born every year, the nation’s population boom shows no signs of slowing down. Speaking at a private university convocation, Mustafa Kamal stressed urgency of education and good character in today’s globalized world. “A person with good character can transform an entire society,” he said, while lamenting the difficulty of finding morally upright individuals for government positions.
He criticized government for failing to provide quality education, leaving the private sector to fill the gap. “Education is the fundamental path to self-realization,” he added.
Population experts are sounding the alarm, calling Pakistan’s rapid population growth a national crisis. With more than 6.1 million new people added annually, Pakistan is fast climbing the ranks of the world’s most populous nations. Within five years, it is expected to surpass Indonesia and may soon become the fourth or fifth largest country globally, holding the highest birth rate in South Asia.
The nation faces a critical crossroads, can education and character-building keep pace with its explosive growth, or will the population surge outstrip resources.
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