Islamabad: A joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, and the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights convened at Parliament House to discuss the National Population Coordination Bill. The session, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti and Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, focused on the need for a permanent legal framework to address the nation’s population management challenges.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the discussion underscored the importance of effective population management for national development, impacting sectors like health, education, and food security. The Minister for National Health Services, Syed Mustafa Kamal, informed the committee about the formation of the National Population Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, and the inclusion of key federal ministers and provincial leaders. Despite these efforts, the council lacks statutory status, prompting calls for dedicated legislation to ensure policy continuity.

Officials highlighted that Pakistan faces a population emergency, necessitating a coordinated national response. The committee stressed the importance of legislative measures to provide the council with a permanent legal framework, enabling a sustained commitment to population management irrespective of government changes. Members called for further refinement of the legislative draft, emphasizing child protection and access to basic services as integral components of population planning.

With no objections raised on the proposed legislation in previous meetings, the committee directed relevant ministries to engage in consultative meetings to refine the legislative framework. The decision on the bill was deferred, with plans to reconvene later this month for continued deliberations after inter-ministerial consultations.