PAKISTAN: Five Facilitation Centres Propose for Senior Care

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (APP - The Dawn), October 25, 2004: Zobaida Jalal, Minister for Social Welfare, told the National Assembly Monday a proposal was under consideration to establish five senior citizen centres, one each in the federal and provincial capitals of the country, to facilitate elderly persons. A project management unit in the ministry is also proposed to deal with the issues relating to the well-being of the senior citizens. Ms Jalal said, the children in schools should be taught Islamic principles of respect and care of senior citizens. This virtue may be made as a part of moral education in the primary and middle schools' syllabus, she added. This will also help sensitise the new generation to demonstrate respect for aged persons and elevate their social position and image in the society. Besides this, the minister said the government had approved a package for senior citizens which include provision of social, educational and health services. Ms Jalal stated there were nine vocational and technical training institutes working to educate the disabled persons in the country.