Govt will train 13,000 clerics on population issues

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The federal government plans to train clerics on population issues in thenext three years, according to Population Welfare Minister Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain.

“The government will hire 13,000 clerics from all sects to raise awareness on population issues,” Shahbaz told a press conference on Friday. He said the content for clerics’ training was being prepared.

The ministry has also decided to launch a male mobilisation programme to train males on the issues on the pattern of lady heath workers programme, he said.

“There is a need to raise awareness among males to make population programmes a success,” the minister.

The government will recruit “male mobilisers” in rural health and population welfare centres.

He said International Population Day would be observed on July 11 throughout the country by arranging programmes in all provinces where chief ministers and governors would highlight population issues.

He said the government was trying to decrease the population growth rate from 1.9 percent to 1.3 by 2020.

Shahbaz said society should give women equal status because without their help the population control programme would fail. He said the increasing population would nullify every effort by the government to improve the living standards.

Home | National