Pakistan’s youth will drive national progress only through bold investments in women, health, education and data-led governance.

AS Pakistan turns the page on 2025, the country stands at a defining population moment.

A home to more than 255 million, Pakistan is fifth most populous and one of the youngest nations, with a median age of just over 20 years. The country is bustling with the potential of almost 151 million people of working age (between 15-64 years) and a generation of future promise of nearly 94 million children (between 0–14 years). Yet, Pakistan continues to add more than 4.5 million people to its population every year, one of the highest annual increases in South Asia. This demographic reality presents both an extraordinary opportunity and a serious challenge. Whether this population growth converts into a dividend or a burden depends on the choices that Pakistan makes today.

Encouragingly, Pakistan has built momentum this year to place the population at the heart of its development agenda. At the leadership level, the rethinking of the National Finance Commission (NFC) formula, points to a growing recognition that equitable resource allocation must reflect population dynamics. The government has also taken steps that improve everyday life such as the waiving of taxes on contraceptives, more provincial budget allocations for family........

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