One of the major causes of colonization by the Europeans in the late
seventeenth century and early eighth century was the over growth of
population in the European continent. Notwithstanding that there were also
certain ulterior motives, example being hunger of land and religious
intolerance.
Increasing population and subsequently concepts like depopulation is
not a new phenomena. It is yet another thing that this growing concern has
been transformed into phrases like “the ticking of the population bomb”.
As a definition “Population is the number of people in an area at a
given moment of time”. WHAT IS MEANT BY DEPOPULATION?
Selected Essays
By depopulation we understand the growing need of erecting a
barrage on the ever increasing number of people in an area at a given
moment of time. In simple words to stop the “baby boom” tendency in a
community by using standard and prescribed method like:-
i.Abortion.
ii.Sterilization.
iii.Use of contraceptives.
iv.Late marriages and birth control pills.
It is important to note that these methods are not applicable
universally, some methods like abortions are highly detested in the Islamic
world or for that matter in Pakistan where it is illegal to obtain an
abortion. Whereas it is a standardized practice in the Western and
American nations.
WHY DEPOPULATION?
The propounder of population explosion theory Robert Malthus
stated that:-
The means of subsistence increase in arithmetic progression (1, 2,
3, 4, 5, ……) whereas population increases in geometric progression (1.
2, 4, 8, 16, 32, …) thus in twenty five years population will be doubled
unless checked.
Besides that population reduces the means of subsistence, its
increase is inversely proportional to several other abstentions.
According to the United Nations study, “it has become clear that
high population growth is one of the central barriers in reduction of mass
poverty”. Thus problems like:-
low saving rate and income
economic backwardness
illiteracy or low literacy ratio
unemployment
a presence of wide gap in human resources development
outward flow of people i.e. brain drain and skilled labour
migration
low Medicare facilities
decrease in life expectancy ratio are products of population explosion. A large number of people
would always consume what otherwise is meant for saving, thus increasing
dependency ratio in the parents. This destabilizes the economic progress
due to rapid exhaustion of resources, unemployment and more illiterates
than literate (as is the case with Pakistan). The current literacy rate is
36(official figure) in Pakistan including those who can only write their
names. Thus unemployment also results in the outward flow of people in
search of better life and economic prosperity, which widens the gap of
human resources development. This improper strain on the economy
results in slow economic Progress.
UNIVERSALITY
World population grew very slowly until after the industrial
revolution, which began in Europe in the mid 18th century. After that it
grew very rapidly and soon this deadly increase infested other areas which
had not been effected by industrial revolution. This process continued till
1900 when the European nations realized that the red light is indicating
them to halt, this increase showed in the industrialized nations in the
Western Europe and North American continent. But by the mid century,
areas like Asia, Africa and Latin America experienced intense increase in
the population. Analysts began to predict that world’s food and energy
resources, would soon exhaust, which has necessitated the theory of
Depopulation. Currently, the estimated population of the world is around 5
billion people and it is expected, with all precautionary measures, to
increase to 6.4 billions till the
year 2000.
Subdividing the world into different continents shows that the poor
regions of the world are still unable to combat with this issue.
The following data would tell the current and future population of
the different regions of the world.
Region Billion Persons
Now Till 2000
Latin America 2.7 2.8
Africa 2.6 2.8
South Asia 2.0 2.4
East Asia 1.0 1.4
Industrialized Nations 0.5 0.7 This data states that Africa is the only continent which is still going
to experience an increase in the population. But nevertheless East Asia
will still be less populated than South Asia in the year 2000.
According to United Nation sources South Asia will have a
population around 2400 million in the year 2000.
Till The Year 2000 East Asia 1350 million
Latin America 650 million
North America 290 million
Oceania 50 million
Europe 550 million
The backdrop of this part is that the last quarter of 20th century
would experience Malthusian pessimism.
CURRENT
POPULATION GROWTH
PROBLEMS IN
PAKISTAN
Pakistan is one of those LDC’s of the world who are facing biggest
population growth rate of 2.9% creating several anomalies like:-
1.Dependency ration.
2.Rapid urbanization.
Heavy pressure on the economic resources.
The estimate is around 121 million making Pakistan the eighth most
populous country of the world.
This situations calls for an immediate Federal Government oriented
programmes to halt this growing threat.
PAST EFFORTS.
Though Pakistan came to realize this population threat in the early
50’s of this century, yet still no population pain has proved to be
successful.
In the first five year plan (1955-60) population planning cell was
setup, but it worked on a lesser scale. Co-operations of voluntary
organizations was sought and the federal Government had a likely say in Second five year plan (1960-65) proved a lot successful when family
planning services were introduced through health infrastructure.
In the third five year plan (1965-70) an independent family planning
unit was created and mass scale motivational activities were launched.
In the fourth five year plan (1970-75) continuous motivation skill
was utilized by employing male and female family workers at the local
union council level.
(1975-80) did little contribution to the depopulation cause due to
political unrest in the country.
Sixth five year plan was initiated with two years gap. Sixth five year.
plan was introduced in which field activity as recognized role (NGO’s cum
Governmental Organizations) was institutionalized, social marketing of
contraception was introduced and National institute of population studies
was established.
The seventh five year plan (1988-95) has been a lot ambitions than
the previous sixth. Government embarked on a massive campaign to
reduce the population growth rate. The seventh plan resulted in only 20%
coverage of overall family planning whereas the contraceptive use was
only 14% with a growth rate of 2.9 percent, 3.5 million people were
continued to be added to the population every year, with high fertility rate
of 5.9 percent.
The government of Pakistan has avowed to raise the current level of
the use of contraceptives from 14% to 24.4% – and to reduce the fertility
rate from 5.9% to 5.4% by the year 1998 and bring down the population
growth rate to 2.6 percent from 2.9 percent.
STRATEGY OF THE LONG TERM POPULATION PLAN (1993-
1998)
To achieve the aforesaid targets, Government has made an eight
point plan. Following are the salient features of this long term plan:-
Extending programme coverage. Inadequate coverage is to be
rectified by use of massive advertisement campaign. Rural area coverage
is to be increased from 5% to 70% and urban from 54% to 100% by
providing door to door service.
Sexual planning is an embarrassing phenomenon to most of the
people and they are reluctant to visit family planning offices thus the steps of the people.
Using all health outlets like Doctors, Hakims and Homeopaths to
encourage family planning habits.
Role of NGO’s, especially in Kachi abadi’s and slums area is to be
promoted.
Use of Private sector. Private Doctors and hospitals are going to be
utilized in the process of depopulation.
Expansion of current activities. Ensuring quality of services.
intensitication of information services by using all available media of
communication i.e. television, radio, newspaper, magazine, billboards and
Neon signs. In addition to this, Government has also encouraged the
promotion of family planning through Feature Films and various
programmes through electronic media.
All these efforts have been used as catalyst for the successful
orientations of the programme.
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST (I.E.
DEPOPULATION IN PAKISTAN).
WAY
There were times when bigger population used to be considered as
sign of nation’s strength, reason being more people were required to fight
in the battles with swords and other primitive weapons. About a century
and a half ago, people were encouraged by the Governments to migrate to
the thinly populated areas of the world. They were also encouraged to
multiply the people, as the wars were so frequent that it used to balance
the population according to the means of production.
times changed as well. The modern means of warfare neutralized this
As it is generally believed that “nothing is permanent but change”
concept.
In addition to this, technological improvement in medical facilities
resulted in a decline of “death rate” and subsequent increase in the birth
rate. i.e. low mortality rate. All these aspects added up to a massive
increase in the population through out the globe.
world. i.e. Western Europe and Northern America but being industrialized
This problem first inflicted on the industrialized nations of the they had the capacity to accommodate the growing number and in
addition, had the will and resources to bar further increase.
This problem subsequently affected the non industrialized Nation or
LDC’s where population began to double every 25 years.
Pakistan is one of such countries facing high increase in the
population with scarce resources enough for economic development.
Pakistan is one of those countries who have the highest growth rate of 2.9
percent, with problems like (1) non-availability of jobs (2) limited
economic resources (3) huge amount of external and internal debt and with
a lot of problems, the growth of population at such a speed is really fatal
for the economy.
Under such conditions, the country cannot provide adequate
facilities to each and every citizen. Self restraint and use of contraceptives
is highly advisable.
Secondly if a woman gives birth to a child every year it will
aggravate her physical condition sooner or later.
In addition, high fertility rate which is higher amongst the less
educated and the people of rural background is harmful for the society. A
person having six children or so, with a daily income of Rs. 100 is stupid
enough to have such number of children. Not only that it is going to be an
injustice to the society but an injustice to his personal self as well. First of
all, he would not be able to provide proper education to all his children.
When they have no proper education, they would be a menace to the
society. In this age of competition education is a vital ingredient for
achieving a good status in the society and for that matter becoming a good
citizen. “One good citizen is better than hundred illiterate citizens.”
And as a result, a family with too many children and scarce
economic resources would be an unhappy family. A limited family is
helpful not only for a happy living but it would make the country
prosperous, where every citizen is highly educated and intelligent enough
to cope with the problems of life.
GOVERNMENTS AGAINST POPULATION PLANNING
There are certain elements in the society who vehemently oppose
this discourse of family planning. Among these elements, the foremost is
religion. According to the religious doctrine, “God has promised to provide substantial amount of food to the creature. He gives birth thus
every in-coming person is bound to get his own share and God is
omnipotent”.
This religions dogma is one of the primary hurdles in the population
planning. Especially the rural class, which of course is immature as
compared to the urban population, is spell bound under these religions
dictums.
Secondly, most of them oppose this idea or rather completely rule
out that population has anything to do with the economic development. To
such people it does not halt the progress but in fact gives it a proper boast
because of the large availability of labour force and economic hands. Mass
illiteracy is subject to the Govt policies, if government has not devised
proper policies only then it would halt the economic prosperity. It is the
policies of Government which have ultimate effect over development not
the population. To blame population is like blaming the roosters for the
heat in summer because he gives rise to the sun”. Even Vasl Mark was of
the same opinions that it is the policy that matters and not population.
Finally there are some pessimistic elements which declare it as a
design of International organizations according to the interest of the super
powers, as a design to colonize the developing countries once again.
To some elements it is part of the vast design to conquer the Muslim
countries through the sponsorship of the World Bank.
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FAMILIES.
The United Nations has declared the year 1994 as an International
year of families. It was not only aims of proper cohesion among
family members, revival at the old family bonds’ but also at depopulation.”
In view to that United Nations has started its promotion of family values
and their economic concerns.
Conclusion:-
It is important to note that no matter how solid the religious dictums
are, it is day to day fact that population growth rate is a
phenomenon. The Government is based on its resources, and it takes even
a lay man to figure out that more resources would be available to each
person if there are lesser number of people and though every one would
get his share even if they are higher but the share would be a lot less.
Thus a big share would include all such facilities as education, Medicare,
a job and a substantial amount of social security.
Therefore, it is advisable that population growth rate should be
decreased. It is an inevitable factor for development of a country like
Pakistan.
Subsequently it is also vital to pinpoint that simple mass
advertisement process would not be a proper solution to depopulation. The
core of the issue is that to most of the population of Pakistan (and for that
matter third world countries) sexual intercourse is a recreational facility.
because they don’t have any other recreation to indulge in. (It is not the
idea of writer to abandon this advertisement process.) But side by side
recreational facilities as a substitute of the sexual intercourse should also
be created only then it would be possible to divert the minds of the people
from cohabitation.
Finally, it is also advisable to encourage late marriages among the
people. In this way both the partners could become mentally mature, so as
to better design their future life together.