Senior citizens

During election campaigns, almost every party vows to provide basic facilities to senior citizens. However, the reality is that these promises are nothing more than empty. Many years ago, the interim government of Chaudhry Shujaat announced free entry for all senior citizens at museums and garden. But at the same time the local transport rates were increased with no concession for the elderly. During my life, I have only come across two institutions that have showed some regard to senior citizens. Back in the 1990s, I would regularly visit a private bank to pay utility bills. While standing in a queue outside the bank or waiting for my turn inside the bank, I have been approached by the bank manager numerous times who have helped me get my work done at a separate counter that was dealing exclusively with senior citizens.

A few months back, I visited Karachi but was disappointed to see that no institution cares about the elderly. During my recent visit, I visited the same bank and found out that there was no separate counter for the elderly. I waited for my turn for at least 50 minutes. When I asked the manager about the facility, I was told that many customers objected to the facility on the ground that every customer should be treated equally.

Muhammad Javed ( Manama, Bahrain)