ISLAMABAD, Oct 1, 2026: Speakers at a ceremony held at Movenpick Hotel Islamabad on the International Day of Older Persons called for effective policies, stronger social protection and dignified care for senior citizens.
The event was jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Human Rights and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Government representatives, civil society members and officials from relevant organisations attended the ceremony, where issues faced by older persons and measures for their welfare and protection were discussed.
Addressing the gathering, Federal Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said the occasion was a reminder to reflect on how society could better respond to the needs of elderly people and how institutions could work together for this purpose.
He stressed the need for effective laws, policies and implementation mechanisms so that senior citizens could receive proper support and protection. He said Pakistan must invest in its youth today, as the same generation would form the country’s elderly population in the future.
The minister said advocacy alone was not enough and that commitment must be translated into practical measures. He added that care for older persons was not limited to food and shelter, but also required love, respect, compassion and good treatment.
Senator Tarar urged families to spend time with their parents and elders and to recognise their lifelong sacrifices and services. He said serving parents was not a favour, but a responsibility and duty.
He said changing family structures and economic pressures were affecting the traditional system of elderly care. Pakistan, he added, must prepare now for the growing needs of its senior citizens.
The minister also referred to the difficulties faced by low-income people and workers in the informal sector. He said it was an important responsibility of the state to provide social protection to people who faced poverty, old age and limited access to care.
He said a proper retirement and old-age protection system was needed for informal sector workers. A system based on contributions by employers and workers could help provide financial security after retirement, he added.
Senator Tarar said pension was not merely financial assistance, but also a source of self-respect and dignified living for senior citizens. He noted that different legal steps had been taken for the protection and welfare of elderly people, including work related to senior citizens in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
He said efforts were under way to further improve the legal and institutional framework for elderly citizens, particularly for those who were deprived of proper care and attention due to poverty and old age.
The minister said government support, social responsibility and individual roles were all important for the protection of older persons. He said awareness for senior citizens must be converted into effective policy and practical action.
A representative of the Foundation for Aging and Inclusive Development (FAID) also underlined the need to strengthen healthcare facilities for older persons, especially by improving services at basic health units and rural health centres.
The FAID representative said investment in young people today would help meet the needs of the elderly population in the future.
The ceremony also highlighted the importance of inter-generational cooperation, stronger linkages between universities and civil society, and the use of modern tools such as technology and artificial intelligence to understand and address the problems faced by elderly people.
At the conclusion of the event, participants reaffirmed that raising voices for senior citizens was not sufficient, and that advocacy must be turned into action so that elderly people could live with health, respect, dignity and adequate social protection.
