uhammad Ali calls himself a working journalist. At 77, he is a regular at the Lahore Press Club. “Last year, the paper for which I was working, closed down, leaving me jobless,” he says when asked about his employment status. “I call myself a working journalist because journalists never retire; they fade. I can work.”

Muhammad Ali says that age has never been a hindrance in his work. During most of his youth, he was a reporter for national dailies. He spent several years in Beirut as a correspondent for a Pakistani publication. However, for the last two decades, he has been a desk person. He says that he never had any issues with desk work either. The only thing that ever bothered him, he says, was that there was nobody his age among his colleagues. “That caused a sense of loneliness,” he says.

Few workplaces in Lahore have a noticeable number of senior citizens. This is not because the city lacks older people who want to work.

At 80 years old, Yusuf rides his bicycle to work every morning in Lahore’s Manawan area. For about 45 years, he has been selling breakfast to people near Chandni Chowk.

He says many people his age cannot find work. He acknowledges that some of them prefer leisure or are have grown too attached to their homes. As for himself, Yusuf still rides his bicycle. He also carries two large pots. He stands at his stall for about four hours, sells the breakfast and makes Rs 500-600 a day.

The two gentlemen represent different sides of ageing in Lahore. One of them continues to find purpose and companionship through his association with journalism. The other depends on a small daily income from selling breakfast mostly to strangers. Their experience raises a broader question: is Lahore prepared to support its growing older population, including those who want to work, those who need financial assistance and those who require healthcare and social care?

The United Nations marks October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons. Its 2026 theme, The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives, calls attention to the need to rethink public services and social systems as people live longer.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, older persons made up 5.6 percent of the country’s population in 2023. Regional projections by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific suggest that this share could reach 9.9 percent by 2050. The growing number of older people will increase the need for healthcare, pensions, accessible public spaces, transport and community support.

For Lahore, this change presents a serious challenge. Its streets, footpaths, public transport and workplaces have not been designed with older people in mind. Even those who remain physically active may struggle with uneven pavements, traffic, long queues and a lack of accessible public facilities.

At 80 years of age, Yusuf rides his bicycle to work every morning in Lahore’s Manawan area. For about 45 years, he has been selling breakfast to people near Chandni Chowk.

The Foundation for Ageing and Inclusive Development, an organisation working for the welfare of older people, says many senior citizens continue to work because they need incomes, social contact or a sense of purpose. In Pakistan, around 24 percent of men and 8 percent of women aged 60 to 64 remain employed, according to the Labour Force Survey of 2021. 91.1 percent of the older workers are employed in the informal sector, where pensions, job security and social protections are often missing. Only 6.6 percent of people aged 60 and above are covered by a mandatory pension scheme.

Dr Asghar Zaidi, the former GCU vice chancellor, has led researches on the issue. He says that Lahore’s ageing population will increase the demand for healthcare, long-term care and community services. Older people need affordable treatment for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, along with rehabilitation, mental healthcare, hearing aids, glasses and walking aids. These services can help them remain independent, continue working and participate in family and community life.

Citing his work done in collaboration with the FAID, Dr Zaidi says that ageing affects different people in different ways.

“Women, people with disabilities and those living in poverty often face additional difficulties. International data shows that women perform about 70 percent of the world’s unpaid care work. This can affect their financial security in old age. Climate change presents another danger.”

The country has introduced several policy proposals to address the needs of older people, particularly in the Punjab. The Punjab Senior Citizens Welfare and Rehabilitation Bill of 2013 was an early effort to establish a framework for healthcare, social protection, financial assistance and protection against neglect and abuse. The proposed Punjab Senior Citizens Act of 2023 sought to strengthen these arrangements through a Senior Citizens Council to advise the government and coordinate welfare measures.

In 2024, another Punjab Senior Citizens Welfare Bill proposed establishing old-age homes in all 41 districts, providing free medical treatment and legal assistance to deserving senior citizens, supporting welfare organisations and creating a toll-free helpline and digital database. It also proposed using technology to improve access to healthcare. However, such proposals need effective legislation, funding and consistent implementation to translate their promise into reliable services.

Dr Zaidi says that for Lahore to become an age-friendly city will require more than building old-age homes and providing occasional financial assistance. The government, local authorities, hospitals, businesses and civil society must work together to improve public facilities, healthcare, employment opportunities and social protection. Employers could also encourage experienced older workers to remain professionally active by allowing flexible working arrangements. Community centres could offer social activities and support services.

Ahsan Raza is the editor of an English daily. He can be reached at [email protected].