People all over the world are living longer and life expectancy is rising. Longevity is aided by advancements in medical and health care research. The number of older people in the population is increasing proportionally due to lower birth rates and infant mortality rates. For the first time in human history, by 2050, there will be more older people than children under the age of 15, with one out of every five individuals being 60 years or older.

This population ageing is taking place across the world, in all regions. In terms of population of older people, Asia is at the top of the list, as it is the world’s most populous area, with countries like India, China, Pakistan, and Indonesia having large populations. Pakistan, like other countries, is seeing an increase in the number of older people. In Pakistan, fertility rates have declined by about half in the last 50 years, with 3.4 births per woman in 2020 compared to 6.6 births in 1971. In addition, the infant mortality rate decreased from 139.87 deaths per thousand live births in 1971 to 58.46 deaths per thousand live births in 2020. This means that fewer children will be born, but those that are born will live longer. Pakistan is one of just 15 countries in the world with a population of more than 10 million persons over the age of 60 and above. With a present population of 16 million older persons in Pakistan, it is expected that by 2050, the population of older people in the country will increase to 45 million.

This shift in demography and rise in the population of older people poses a significant challenge for the government and society, as older people require a life free of discrimination, high-quality health care, adequate income and dignity. The first and most important consideration is income in old age; unfortunately, the existing pension system in Pakistan only covers about 15 percent of the overall population of older people in the country, leaving the majority of the elderly without financial stability. Pension reforms are urgently needed in the country, with a focus on transforming the current tax-funded pension to a contributory one and expanding the coverage of Employees Old Age Benefit Institute (EOBI).

Many deserving senior citizens are also excluded from the existing social protection programme, Ehsaas, due to the possession of a passport or a foreign visit. Many elderly persons reported being destitute and in need of financial aid, but because they had a passport, they were not included. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, as a majority of people in Pakistan obtain a passport in order to travel abroad and earn a living. Second, older people wish to perform Haj or Umrah and often spend all of their savings or have someone sponsor them. However, this does not mean that they are undeserving. Hence, they should not be excluded on these grounds.

It is a source of great concern that there was no legislation for the welfare and rights of older people in the country prior to 2014.

Safeguarding older people’s rights and wellbeing is an important issue that has been overlooked for many years. It is a source of great concern that there was no legislation for the welfare and rights of older people in the country prior to 2014. The first ever legislation for the welfare of older people was passed in 2014 by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Citizens Act). This was followed by provincial government of Sindh (Sindh Senior Citizens Welfare Act, 2014) and Balochistan (Balochistan Senior Citizens Act, 2017) that passed laws in 2016 and 2017, respectively. In 2021, the Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Act was also approved. However, older people in the Punjab are still deprived of a legislation for their welfare and rights.

All these Acts have yet to be implemented in their entirety. The law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was passed in 2014, but the rules for it were only notified in 2017. It took the government three years to prepare the rules for such a significant piece of legislation. Similarly, in Sindh, the law was enacted in 2016. However, the rules were notified in 2021, five years after the approval. The Government of Balochistan has still not notified the rules for the Act.

Now, according to all the approved Acts in the country, a senior citizen may apply for a senior citizen card after reaching the age of 60, and on the basis of that card, senior citizens will be entitled to benefits including financial assistance and reduced medical and medicine charges. It is peculiar that the government has urged older people to apply for a new card, the Senior Citizen Card. Approximately 1 million senior citizens have sent their papers to social welfare offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. And yet, no older person in the country has received a Senior Citizen Card to date.

Instead of putting older people in a difficult situation and devoting resources and time to a new card, it could be planned so that the national identity card can be used in the same way. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) already has all the data relating to an individual, and when a person turns 60, NADRA can issue a card with a small sign indicating that the cardholder is a senior citizen.

It is also worth noting that Pakistan is a signatory to the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, which emphasises the importance of older people having a secure income, access to health care, shelter, and involvement in decision-making. Pakistan, on the other hand, still lacks a national policy on the rights and care of the elderly.

The writer is based in Rawalpindi and can be reached at qureshiwaqas@gmail.com