Pakistan's Young Population Offers Demographic Dividend if Education, Jobs and Infrastructure Improve

Pakistan's population has surpassed 258 million, making it the fifth most populous country in the world. Officials project the total could exceed 300 million by 2030, placing Pakistan ahead of Indonesia in global rankings. Rapid demographic growth is outpacing the country's capacity for socio-economic development and infrastructure expansion.

Several key social sectors already trail those of neighboring India and Bangladesh.

Contraception use stays low because the topic is widely viewed as taboo. In some communities it is considered religiously forbidden. , examined these barriers in detail.

The combination of high fertility rates and limited family-planning services continues to strain public resources. Government efforts to expand access have so far produced only modest increases in uptake. Without broader acceptance of contraception, including male methods, population growth is expected to keep exceeding infrastructure improvements.