Senate Committee warns population growth jeopardizes sustainable development in 13th Five Year Plan

ISLAMABAD, Sep 13 (SABAH): Senator QuratulAin Marri chaired the meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives held at Parliament House.

The Senate Committee deliberated on the socio-economic objectives of the 13th Five Year Plan (2024-29). Joint Chief of Economic Policy, Zafar ul Hassan, highlighted the challenges shortlisted for the 13th Five year’s plan.

Senator QuratulAin Marri astonishingly remarked that the Planning Division should focus on the biggest of all challenges i.e. “Population Control” which is not mentioned in the list. She stated that no country could achieve sustainable development with a population growth rate of 2.5%. It is high time that the country should devise a comprehensive plan to mitigate the trickle-down effect of population explosion.

Joint Chief of Economic Policy also highlighted the objectives for the 13th Five-year plan. He emphasized that the Federal Government has set objectives of improving the quality of human capital, preventing hunger and malnutrition, enhancing the use of technology, and making agriculture more productive and efficient. The Chairperson of the Committee asserted that the country should also empathize and facilitate the “Services Sector,” following the example of Bangalore, India, as the demand for services is increasing manifold. Zafar ul Hassan remarked that the balance of payments poses constraints towards the expansion of the services economy.

Furthermore, the Committee discussed the ongoing status of land acquisition for 5,000 acres for a 1,200 MW solar plant at Tehsil Choubara, District Layyah. Deputy Commissioner for Layyah, Ameera Baidar, informed that land prices in Choubara Tehsil have increased manifold due to the recent increase in solar tube wells. Senator Quratul Ain Marri remarked that the price mentioned by the District Administration is twice as high as the price evaluated by the committee. The Deputy Commissioner pointed out the forest land is also located in the region which is more suitable for the solar project and mentioned that the said forest land has also been proposed by the District Administration to the Secretary of Settlement (Punjab) for the allotment of land. The Committee recommended that forest land should be utilized for the 1,200 MW solar project as it would save the exchequer money.

Additionally, the Committee was briefed on the working and performance of the National Logistics Corporation and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The Committee, however, recommended that the NLC officials submit details of audit paras reflected in their accounts over the last ten years, along with details of any theft and recoveries during the past ten years.

In attendance were Senator Atta ur Rehman, Senator Shahadat Awan, Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan, Secretary for Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives (PD&SI) Awais Manzur Sumra, Additional Secretary for Ministry of PD&SI Kamran Rehman Khan, Joint Chief of Economic Policy Zafar ul Hassan, CEO National Logistics Corporation Brig (Retd) Nasir Zia, Chief Statistician for Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Dr. Naeem uz Zafar, Deputy Commissioner for Layyah Ameera Baidar and other senior officials from the concerned departments.