Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Col. (R) Hashim Dogar has said that Punjab government is going to introduce a program named “Feed the Mother” in three to four districts of Punjab soon. The Minister said that monthly stipends would be given to the laborer feeding mothers for two years so that these mothers could stay at home and feed their children. It will not only be the cause of better health but also mothers would be able to give attention over the upbringing of their children. The Minister was addressing a seminar as a chief guest organized by Population Welfare Department titled “Over Population in Punjab: a situation needing urgent attention”. Secretary Population Welfare Bushra Amman, Director General Population Welfare Naeem-ud-Din Rathore, Allama Shahzad Ahmed Mujadadi, Member Punjab Bar Council Farah Ijaz Baig were also present on the occasion. Col. (R) Hashim Dogar said that increasing population is a serious problem of Pakistan and feed the mother program will be helpful in controlling the population by giving natural gap in the birth of children. He stressed that the role of Ulemas in creating awareness among the people who are illiterate or less-educated is very important. There is need to hold Ulemas conventions at districts level to approach the Ulemas of all mosques in different tehsils for this noble cause. The Minister also told that Punjab government is also pondering to increase the age limit of marriage for girls from 16 to 18 years. At the end of the seminar Secretary Population Welfare Bushra Amman presented an honorary shield to the chief guest Col. (R) Hashim Dogar.
