Pakistan cannot afford to ignore its elderly. With over 10 per cent of the population now above 60, the absence of structured recreational, social, and health programs for seniors is a glaring failure of policy and planning. To treat aging as a private concern is to squander human capital and undermine the well-being of families and communities. The solution lies in a coordinated, nationwide approach: a National Senior Engagement Policy that integrates health, recreation, mobility, and social participation into the fabric of urban and rural life.
The policy must be anchored in two timelines: short-term interventions over the next 12 to 24 months and long-term infrastructure and cultural shifts over the next decade. In the immediate term, every district should establish senior activity centers within existing community halls, parks, or public facilities. These centers would provide daily exercise classes, physiotherapy sessions, hobby clubs, and safe spaces for social interaction. Local governments must audit existing public spaces, parks, sidewalks, transport hubs, to ensure accessibility through ramps, seating, lighting, and priority transport options.
Short-term efforts must also focus on skills and engagement. Schools, colleges, and universities can partner with these centers to create intergenerational programs, mentoring schemes, and volunteer opportunities, allowing students and seniors to share knowledge, stories, and expertise. Community health workers should be mobilized to provide basic screenings, nutritional advice, and guidance on maintaining mobility, linking recreation directly to preventive health.
Long-term action must institutionalize senior inclusion across the nation. Dedicated senior recreation complexes in every provincial capital, supported by trained staff and medical professionals, should serve as regional hubs. Rural outreach must ensure that seniors in small towns and villages have access to mobile fitness units, traveling hobby workshops, and community-based cultural events. Funding must be predictable and protected from political whims, combining government allocations, corporate sponsorships, and community contributions. Federations and councils responsible for sports, culture, and health should integrate senior programs into their mandates, ensuring visibility and accountability.
The policy should include performance metrics. Participation rates, health outcomes, and satisfaction surveys must be monitored, and annual reviews should be made public. Training programs for staff and volunteers must emphasize sensitivity, safety, and inclusivity. Gender equity must be enforced so that elderly women, who often face compounded social isolation, have equal access to all activities.
Finally, the National Senior Engagement Policy must shift societal perceptions. Aging should not be synonymous with withdrawal or invisibility. Through media campaigns, community champions, and civic education, older adults should be celebrated as contributors, mentors, volunteers, and cultural custodians, whose participation strengthens families and communities.
Pakistan has the resources, talent, and population to implement such a policy. The challenge is not scarcity but vision and commitment. By acting decisively, the government and civil society can ensure that aging citizens live not in neglect but in dignity, engagement, and health. A well-executed National Senior Engagement Policy is not just a social imperative; it is a blueprint for a stronger, more cohesive, and humane nation.
