CHAKWAL: The Punjab government has launched a special initiative directing the provincial Population Welfare Department to create awareness among people about family planning through different measures. The department is therefore organising seminars and interactive sessions with different stakeholders these days. In this regard, the District Population Welfare Department Chakwal conducted an interactive session with local journalists on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, District Population Welfare Officer Malik Wajahat Ali Khan said media could play a vital role in creating awareness about family planning and busting the myths associated with it. “Journalists are the eyes and ears of society. They are the main source of conveying facts and awareness to the people. That’s why it is the prime responsibility of the journalists to form public opinion and break the false notions about important issues like family planning,” he said. Deputy District Population Officer Dr Ghazala Fazal, while elaborating the demographics of Chakwal, said Chakwal’s population stood at 1,734,854 with 50.04 pc women and 49.96pc men. The disturbing aspect which she revealed was the growth rate of Chakwal’s population which was 2.51pc. Later, talking to Dawn Malik Wajahat Ali Khan said the goal of the district population department was to bring the growth rate to 2pc from the current 2.51pc by 2030. “Over growth of population is the root cause of our major problems as it gives birth to poverty, unemployment, crimes and issues of education and health and hygiene because our population is too much higher while resources have shrunken,” he said, adding that with the current population of 241.5 million, Pakistan could become the third most populated country in the world from the current fifth one in the coming years.