A painful reality has become very visible on the streets of Karachi today. Senior citizens are forced to drive rickshaws to make ends meet. This is not just a story of poverty, but a clear proof of rising inflation, inadequate pensions, unemployment, business decline and a weak economic system. The hands that worked hard all their lives to manage this country are now toiling in traffic, heat and smoke instead of resting in their old age.
The government will have to provide reasonable stipends, free treatment, easy loans and alternative employment opportunities for senior citizens. It is also essential to control inflation, revive industries and create jobs for the young people so that they are better able to support their elderly parents. A civilized society is one where the elderly get some peace in the last part of their lives.
Mumraiz Khan
Karachi
