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Akistan has long been considered as a young country, identified in the form of stirring in the market, crowded classrooms, and seemingly endless youth. For decades, this Youth Bulge has been celebrated as a great opportunity for economic growth. But silently and permanently, our population profile is changing.
More and more people have been living for a long time. Fertility rates are falling. Family is getting shorter. And as the majority of our population is still young, the proportion of old people is increasing. In 2023, about 17 17 million Pakistanis were 60 or older. It is expected that by 2050, the number will exceed 40 million. These are three times higher than the maximum older people within just one generation.
This change reflects progress. Better health, maternity care and nutrition help more and more people living a long, healthy life. The average age has increased for more than 67 years and is expected to increase further in the next decades. At the same time, in the 1980s, more than six children’s fertility is more than three today. As a result, the structure of our population is changing.
The consequences of this transition are far -reaching. Economists and policy makers are asking a difficult but essential question: What does the population age grow for Pakistan’s economy?
To start, it will present new demands on our workforce. Although the working age population is still growing, this growth is decreasing. Over time, the share of the elderly people will increase, while the proportion of young people in the labor market will shrink. For this we will need to do more work with less hands. Will need to increase productivity. Participation in the Labor Force – especially among women and old workers – increasing increase. And the work itself should be more comprehensive and complicated.
Another challenge is how we protect the elders. At present, most of the old people in Pakistan rely on family support for daily needs. But the weakness of civilization, migration and shared family systems means that many elderly people will grow alone with limited care and low financial protection.
Only a small section of older adults has access to formal pensions and have less benefit than health care, which solves chronic diseases and disabilities that come with aging. Without reforms, there will be many poverty old, which is hidden for the system -made systems for the younger population.
Healthcare system is also expected to increase the burden. Older people often need special care, including diabetes, heart disease and dementia. Pakistan’s health system, which is already thin, is not properly prepared for these demands. Nor is there a national plan to train long -term care, geographical services or careers. Families, especially women, are mostly on the shoulder of this responsibility.
Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the old population is not just a problem in solving. It is also a reflection of human development. People have been living for a long time – and it’s something to celebrate themselves. The real work in front of us is to make these long life healthy, more meaningful and more fruitful. If we do this, the age of the population can become the driver of social and economic development.
Economists now call the “silver economy”. Older adults are not inactive or dependent groups. They are consumers, citizens and often careful. In many societies, old people contribute to the economy.
Economists now call the “silver economy”. Older adults are not inactive or dependent groups. They are consumers, citizens and often careful. In many societies, the elderly contribute to the economy through salaried work, voluntary services and transfer of knowledge and values. They support grandchildren, provide emotional stability to families, and are involved in social life.
Pakistan will have to start value and invest in this partnership. For example, many old workers will be happy to be happy if the workplace offers more flexibility and recognizes their experience. Lifetime learning programs can help older adults update their abilities. Programs with young businessmen can promote mutual respect in generations and strengthen social capital.
In fact, we have a lot to learn from the countries that have already started responding to population trends. In South Korea, the government has increased the retirement age and offered privileges to employers who train and maintain the old workers. In Thailand and Vietnam, communities have developed interfaith day care centers where elders and young people learn and play together. China, which faces one of the fastest population in history, has introduced elderly friendly housing schemes and community -based care services to reduce the pressure on families. Singapore has invested heavily in a lifetime education, encouraging people aged over 60 to formally enroll in skill -producing courses.
These examples suggest that with the right planning and investment, the age of the population can be a positive force. But that requires a new way to think. Aging should not be seen as an emergency, but as a permanent feature of our society. This means that we should prepare, not react.
There is an urgent need for a clear and integrated national aging strategy in Pakistan. It includes provincial governments, civil society and the private sector as well as ministries of health, labor, finance and education. Policies should be designed to promote active aging, gradually increase retirement age, and produce the old adults’ LHX flexible work options. Pensions and social protection schemes must be extended to cover informal workers, especially those involved in urban settings. We should also invest in health services that meet the needs of the elderly, including geographical care, dementia support and community -based care facilities.
Perhaps the most important thing is that we must recognize that supporting our elderly population does not mean to remove the resources from the youth. This is not zero equation. On the contrary, a society that ensures the opportunity for its older citizens is stronger and better for everyone. When older people are healthy, financially safe and socially involved, they remain economic partners. They also patronize young people, help families and advance the values that strengthen the social fabric.
What Pakistan needs now is a bold and comprehensive vision for aging. We have to review our systems – from pensions and health care to employment and housing to ensure that they can reflect the reality of changing long life and family structures. This includes expanding retirement age, expanding pension coverage in informal sector, supporting home and community -based elderly care and making our cities and workplaces more friendly.
Pakistan still has a window of opportunity. As our aging population is growing, it is not too much. But that window is shutting down. If we delay the proceedings, we are at risk of getting rises to a crisis where millions of old people will be left behind the system. Such a future will not only be illegal but also economically harmful, as we will lose the growing and important class contribution of our society.
On the other hand, if we work with distant and compassionate, we can create a society where the old is not a scared thing, but looks forward to it. A society where older people are given the option of living dignity, participating fully and helping young people as well as the future. This is the promise of a fair and comprehensive Pakistan – and it is in our reach.
Author is Provost, University of Management and Technology, Lahore.
