The federal government has shifted focus to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to address Pakistan's rapid population growth, which is expected to make the country the fourth most populous by 2030.

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee to manage population growth, with Munir as a key member.

The minister highlighted the need for policy reforms, noting that the current National Finance Commission (NFC) formula allocates 82% of resources based on population, inadvertently incentivizing higher birth rates.He proposed reducing the NFC population linkage to 50% to encourage controlled growth.Limited access to contraceptives and tax exemptions on family planning products were also discussed.The committee debated the devolution of population welfare to provinces, with concerns about federal overreach.

Meanwhile, a separate issue emerged regarding a Balochistan nursing scholarship program, where students were misled about degree recognition, prompting calls for an investigation.The meeting underscored the complexity of balancing population management with provincial autonomy and resource allocation.