Senior citizens: Measures being taken to strengthen social, economic protection: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the government was expanding measures to strengthen social and economic protection for senior citizens and improve their access to essential welfare services.

In a message marking the International Day of Older Persons, being observed today (Thursday), the prime minister said the measures included digital verification for pensioners, broader coverage under the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and additional financial assistance for elderly beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

He said the government was committed to translating respect for older people into policymaking, institutional reforms and practical measures.

Pensioners have been provided with a digital verification facility allowing them to obtain life certificates from home, removing the need to visit government offices in person, he said.

Sharif said that the government was also working to expand welfare schemes to ensure that senior citizens were not excluded from basic social protection.

He said efforts were under way, in cooperation with provincial governments, to improve access to healthcare for older people by strengthening specialised geriatric care in the public health system and expanding health insurance coverage for senior citizens.

He said the government was also working to implement the United Nations-backed Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), alongside a coordinated policy framework and institutional reforms to protect the rights and welfare of older people.

Senior citizens had made valuable contributions to Pakistan’s social, economic and moral development and represented the experience, wisdom and values that had guided successive generations, he said.

He called on provincial governments, civil society and the private sector to support federal efforts to build a welfare-oriented society where older people could live with dignity and security and participate more fully in social life.

Sharif also urged young people to respect and care for their elders, saying this was in line with religious teachings and Pakistan’s cultural traditions.

A society that ensured dignity, respect and facilities for older people reflected genuine human welfare, he said, calling for stronger ties between generations and greater mutual respect.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026