Zahra Wadood Fatemi Calls for Stronger Action on Population, Health, Women Empowerment and Public Awareness

Zahra Wadood Fatemi Calls for Stronger Action on Population, Health, Women Empowerment and Public Awareness

Nadeem Tanoli

Islamabad: Member of the National Assembly Zahra Wadood Fatemi praised the government’s foreign policy efforts and the federal budget measures on contraceptives, while calling for stronger national action on population control, women empowerment, health spending, disease prevention, drug abuse in educational institutions and public awareness.

Speaking during the budget debate in the National Assembly, Zahra Wadood Fatemi thanked the Chair for giving her the opportunity to speak. She began her speech by congratulating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar for their hard work, sacrifices, political wisdom and diplomacy.

She said Pakistan has achieved a level of respect and international recognition not seen before. According to her, the world is now looking towards Pakistan, and the country has shown that it is a responsible and aware nation.

Zahra Wadood Fatemi said Pakistan is not only important for itself but has also become an example for the wider world. She said world leaders, including presidents and prime ministers, are contacting Pakistan and appreciating its role.

She gave credit to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his team for diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States. She said the government’s efforts helped Pakistan gain respect at the international level.

She also referred to Operation Sindoor and said India had tried to test Pakistan, but Pakistan gave a strong response. She said Pakistan’s armed forces and air force are always alert and know how to defend the country.

After speaking on foreign policy and national security, Zahra Wadood Fatemi said Pakistan must also pay serious attention to internal challenges. She said one of the most important issues facing the country is population growth.

She said Pakistan has already declared population an emergency, and if timely steps are not taken, the country’s population may double in the coming decades. She warned that if the population continues to rise without planning, the country’s existing problems will become more difficult.

Zahra Wadood Fatemi appreciated the Finance Minister for presenting a budget in which taxes on contraceptives have been removed. She said this was an important step because population management is a national emergency.

However, she said removing tax on contraceptives alone will not solve the problem. She said Pakistan also needs awareness campaigns to educate people about family planning and responsible parenting.

She said people must be guided to manage family size because more children can create more problems for families that do not have enough resources. She said many parents are unable to provide proper education, healthcare and basic needs to all their children.

She said population growth is directly linked with education and health. When families do not have enough financial resources, children may be sent to madrassas, put into small jobs, or handed over to non-governmental organizations for care.

Zahra Wadood Fatemi said people should not leave every responsibility to the government. She said citizens must also take responsibility and work together to improve society.

She said women empowerment is one of the most important solutions. According to her, if women are empowered, family planning, education, health and social conditions can improve. She said Bangladesh is an example where women empowerment helped bring positive change.

She stressed that all citizens must work together instead of depending only on the government. She said Pakistan cannot afford to ignore these issues any longer.

Speaking on health, Zahra Wadood Fatemi said Pakistan is facing serious challenges in many diseases. She said the country ranks among the top affected countries in diabetes, hepatitis, cervical cancer, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and other health problems.

She said many of these diseases are either preventable or curable. For this reason, she urged the Finance Minister and the government to increase the health budget so these problems can be controlled more effectively.

Zahra Wadood Fatemi also highlighted the problem of unsafe syringes, especially among drug users. She said drug addiction is unfortunately spreading in schools and colleges, which is a major concern for the future of young people.

She said the government must work to control addiction among students and youth. She added that unsafe medical practices also contribute to the spread of diseases.

She also mentioned fake dentists, quacks and roadside service providers who work without proper hygiene. She said such people should either be punished or properly educated so they understand that they cannot work without cleanliness and safety measures.

She said unhygienic practices can spread serious diseases. Therefore, the government and society must work together to create awareness and improve public health standards.

Zahra Wadood Fatemi said no single person or institution can solve these problems alone. She appealed to the public to work together because national problems require collective action.

She ended her speech by quoting Allama Iqbal’s famous verse about raising one’s self-worth and determination. She concluded with a message of national unity and said Pakistan Zindabad.