Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal urges urgent, coordinated action on malnutrition and early childhood development, emphasising their critical role in the country’s future prosperity amidst persistent stunting issues and recent government initiatives.
Pakistan must treat nutrition and early childhood development as a matter of national urgency rather than a routine policy area, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday, arguing that the country’s future prosperity will depend heavily on the health and learning conditions of its youngest children. Speaking at a policy dialogue in Islamabad, Iqbal said malnutrition and weak early development are too closely linked to be tackled through isolated schemes or a single ministry.
He said stunting has affected around 40% of children in Pakistan over the past four decades, describing the figure as a long-running national concern that demands sustained, coordinated action. In remarks carried by APP and UrduPoint, Iqbal said the issue is not merely administrative but central to Pakistan’s human capital, productivity and long-term national strength.
The minister said the first years of life matter most because a large share of brain development takes place during that period, and he linked a child’s prospects to the health and nutrition of the mother during pregnancy, as well as the environment at home. He also warned that poor nutrition can damage physical growth, learning outcomes and future earnings, saying the country must bridge the gap between research and implementation.
Iqbal placed nutrition and early childhood development within the Equity and Empowerment pillar of the government’s 5Es framework under URAAN Pakistan. He said the planning ministry was working with provinces to move beyond repeated studies and recommendations and towards practical delivery, adding that Pakistan already has enough reports and needs action.
The minister called for a whole-of-government response that brings together health, water, sanitation, hygiene and community-level support. He said effective early childhood development does not always require expensive equipment, and proposed locally made learning materials and creative activity toolkits so children in low-income households can still receive stimulation and play-based learning.
His remarks build on a broader nutrition push launched in July 2023, when Iqbal announced the National Multi-sectoral Nutrition Programme, an Rs. 8.5 billion initiative aimed at reducing stunting and other forms of malnutrition in 36 high-burden districts across Pakistan. According to the planning ministry, the programme was designed to use a multi-sectoral approach in Balochistan, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
