Army chief Asim Munir has new job in Pakistan

Pakistan has placed army chief Asim Munir on a committee to address rapid population growth. The move comes as Asim Munir fights threats from Afghanistan and also works to mediate between the US and Iran.

In Short

• Pakistan's population has crossed 259 million, making it the world's fifth-largest
• Officials expect Pakistan to overtake Indonesia and rank fourth by 2030
• Health minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said policy decisions are underway

Pakistan army chief Asim Munir is a man who wears many hats in the country. Apart from managing the armed forces, he dabbles in diplomacy (as was seen during the US-Iran mediation) and also steers Pakistan's economic policy. In between, he still finds time to engage in anti-India rhetoric. Now, his list of responsibilities is set to get longer. The Pakistan army chief will now have to curb Pakistan's uncontrolled population growth.

This was announced by Pakistani health minister Syed Mustafa Kamal at a Senate meeting earlier this week, according to a report in The Dawn. With a population of over 259 million, Pakistan is presently the fifth-most populous country. It is expected to become the fourth largest, surpassing Indonesia, by 2030. For cash-strapped Pakistan, it is nothing short of a demographic catastrophe.

ASIM MUNIR'S NEW ROLE

Thus, in times of crisis, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has dialled the first number (maybe the only) on his contact list - Asim Munir. To address the population issue, Sharif has constituted a committee, which includes Munir. According to the report, the issue has now become a national priority for the government.

"The government is treating this issue with the highest priority, and important policy decisions are being taken at every level," the health minister said.

As usual, social media has erupted with memes and jokes, poking fun at the army chief's new role. "What would (Asim) Munir do? Distribute condoms?" one user tweeted.

WHAT'S BEHIND PAKISTAN'S POPULATION BOOM?

Among the key issues identified by the health department is a lack of wide availability of contraceptives. Pakistan records around 6.7 million births per year on average. To address this, the government plans tax exemptions on contraceptive products.

Another factor is revenue allocation to provinces. Presently, around 80% of resource distribution to provinces is based on population. It unintentionally incentivised the states to have higher population growth. The health minister has proposed cutting the share to under 50%.

Such a move, however, may lead to unease in provinces with large populations.

For example, Punjab is the most populous province in Pakistan and is the bastion of the Sharifs. Now, Punjab is the nerve centre of politics and the military. It also houses all key financial institutions. Thus, the province may not be too happy about a proposal that curbs its revenue stream.

- Ends