When Old Age Still Has to Earn a Living

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: October 1 is observed around the world as the International Day of Older Persons, a day meant to recognise the contribution, experience and dignity of those who have spent decades building families and communities. This year, the United Nations theme is “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.”

But in Karachi, these two elderly men tell a very different story.

One pushes a cart overflowing with colourful toys, moving through the city’s busy streets in search of customers. His wheelchair is not simply a means of getting around. When exhaustion takes over, it can become his seat, his workplace and perhaps the only place where he can pause before beginning again.

The other carries a leather water bag through the streets, selling something as basic as water to those who need it. His deeply lined face, white beard and frail appearance speak quietly of a lifetime already spent working.

There is no retirement in these photographs.

There is no comfortable old age.

There is only another working day.

Pakistan has millions of older people. A UNFPA assessment estimated around 15 million people aged 60 and above and projected that the number could rise to 44 million by 2050. It also noted the limited reach of old-age pensions and the growing pressure on families to provide support.

These men do not ask for sympathy.

They remind us of something more important.

Growing old should mean receiving dignity after a lifetime of giving it to others.

Photo Credit: Online