Demographic doom or demographic dreams: Pakistan at the crossroads

Abstract

Pakistan clearly stands at the crossroads of its destiny, and demography will continue to play a huge role, just as it has in the past. This crossroads lies 63 years after Pakistan’s formation. With a current population of 175 million, Pakistan can boast itself as the world’s sixth most populous nation. Growing at 2 percent per annum, it can forecast adding another 70 million, for a total of more than 245 million, by 2030. But what lies ahead is also the opportunity to utilize today’s youthful population to reap a demographic dividend— so long as investments are made right now in order to capitalize on the demographic gift coming its way. What may seem like difficult investments today are not a choice but an imperative, to prevent the loss of human potential, to turn around the country’s future, and to ensure that Pakistan develops into a secure and prosperous society