A turning point for older people in Pakistan: Punjab passes a landmark welfare law

Who the law is for, and what does it aim to change? 

The law applies to older people aged 70 and above who live in Punjab, home to over half of the country’s population. This is an important step forward at provincial level and sets a strong example for other parts of the country.  

The purpose of the Punjab Senior Citizens Welfare Act is to ensure older people can live with dignity, care and protection. Crucially, it moves ageing out of the realm of charity and into public responsibility. Older people are recognised not as passive recipients of help, but as people with rights that the state must uphold.  

What the law puts in place  

Rather than listing individual benefits, the Act creates the foundations for long‑term change.  

1. A dedicated body for older people: The law requires the regional government to establish a Senior Citizens Welfare Council, led by senior provincial officials. This body is responsible for shaping policies and coordinating services for older people across Punjab. This gives ageing issues a permanent place within government decision‑making, rather than treating them as an afterthought.  
2. A dedicated fund: The Act also establishes a Senior Citizens Fund to support programmes and services for older people. This is intended to ensure that support is not dependent on short‑term projects or goodwill but backed by sustained public funding.  
3. Focus on those most at risk: The law mandates the state to prioritise those most at risk of exclusion or neglect. It recognises that many older people live without income, pensions or family support and explicitly acknowledges older people who are frail, disabled, sick or living in poverty.  

The role of HelpAge global network member FAID 

For years the Foundation for Ageing and Inclusive Development (FAID), a HelpAge global network member in Pakistan, has worked alongside other civil society organisations to highlight to the government the realities older people face and the need for legal protection.  

FAID’s work has focused on advocacy, evidence‑building and sustained dialogue with policymakers, helping to ensure that older people’s voices and experiences informed the final legislation. This includes engaging with government departments, contributing to discussions on ageing and social protection, and keeping older people’s rights on the public agenda during long periods of delay.  

This kind of patient, long‑term advocacy is often invisible, but it is essential. Laws like this are rarely the result of a single moment. They are built through years of conversation, trust‑building and persistence.  

An important first step, with scope to go further 

This new law lays the groundwork for long‑term change. Rather than prescribing specific benefits from the outset, it establishes the legal recognition and public responsibility needed to build stronger protections for older people over time. 

While details such as pensions, discounts or individual services will be shaped through future government decisions, budgets and implementation plans, the Act creates the framework through which these measures can now be developed. Crucially, it brings ageing firmly onto the public policy agenda and opens the door to sustained action, accountability and progress for older people in Punjab. 

Why this matters beyond Punjab  

Punjab’s Senior Citizens Welfare Act signals a broader shift in how ageing is understood in Pakistan.  

It acknowledges that people are living longer, family structures are changing, and older people face growing risks – particularly older women and those without secure incomes.  

By putting older people’s dignity into law, the Act offers a foundation on which stronger, more inclusive policies can be built. It also shows how evidence‑based advocacy and collaboration between government and civil society can lead to meaningful legal change.  

A milestone and a starting point  

The passage of this law is an important milestone for older people in Punjab. But it is also a reminder that rights on paper must be followed by action in practice.  

For organisations like FAID, the focus now shifts to supporting implementation, monitoring progress, and continuing to amplify older people’s voices, so that this law delivers real, lasting change in people’s lives.