PAKISTAN HAS RECORDED about 700,000 stillbirths annually, the highest number globally, while 42 out of every 1,000 babies die within their first month of life, giving the country the world's highest neonatal mortality rate, according to a report.

A report published in The News Pakistan -- citing a senior health official -- highlighted that Pakistan's population and health challenges stemmed from deep-rooted systemic issues.

Nearly 48 per cent of pregnancies in Pakistan are unwanted and contribute to around 380,000 abortions every year, it added.

Many of these procedures are carried out at unregulated clinics and result in severe complications, including sepsis.

Around 20 per cent of couples face unmet family planning needs, a problem he attributed primarily to shortages of resources and gaps in service delivery rather than resistance from communities.

The report argued that population dynamics could not be viewed solely through a medical lens and said the country's demographic challenges reflected broader structural failures.

It cautioned against excessive reliance on externally driven terminology in public policy discussions, saying it could trigger cultural resistance and undermine efforts to address population-related issues.’

Separately, another report showed that about 161 million people were unable to afford the cheapest combination of grains, pulses, milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables and other nutritious food items after accounting for essential non-food expenses such as housing, transport and utilities.

Nearly two-thirds of Pakistan's population could not afford a minimum healthy diet in 2025, giving the country the highest rate of healthy diet unaffordability in South Asia despite having the region's lowest-cost nutritious food basket.

However, food affordability remains a major challenge in Pakistan despite a moderation in inflation from the peaks seen in 2023. The report also showed that real household incomes fell by nearly 13 per cent after adjusting for inflation.