KARACHI: The provincial social welfare ministry has failed to establish a senior citizens council as envisaged in a bill passed by the Sindh Assembly six months ago, which critics say can be blamed on the government`s lack of political will, it emerged on Tuesday.

After languishing in the assembly`s committees for two years, the Sindh Senior Citizens` Welfare Bill, 2014, was finally passed by the provincial legislature in April giving Sindh the distinction of being the first province to adopt a law for the elderly.

The law defines a senior citizen as a person aged 60 years or above and a permanent resident of the province.

Officials in the government however, conceded that there were no signs in sight thus showing that the setting up of the senior citizens council, with the provincial minister for social welfare as its chairperson.

Other members of the committee should include two members of the Sindh Assembly nominated by the speaker; sec-retaries of the finance, health, local government, Zakat and Ushr, transport, and food and agriculture ministries; two members from non-governmental organisations with one engaged in the welfare of senior citizens and the other striving for human rights; two senior citizens from the civil society one of whom should be a retired government officer and the other linked with business; and one retired sessions judge or additional sessions judge. Secretary of the social welfare ministry will act as its secretary.

Sources in the government said the concerned ministry lacked the capacity to effectively implement the law as did many other ministries, despite several ambitious laws passed by the Sindh government in the past.

`There are some old age homes being run by the private sector but not a single one has ever been governed by the public sector so far,` said an official.

He said apart from political will, the law needed ample funds to employ the law effectively for the wide ranging targets mentioned in it.

One of the functions of the council as defined in the act was to formulate poll-cies for the welfare and well-being of senior citizens, and to issue the senior citizens cards, called Azadi Cards, which would provide essential services and benefits to senior citizens.

After its establishment, the council should set up senior citizens` lodging establishments and homes for their physical, mental, emotional, social, and economic well-being.

The council will also work to provide free geriatric, medical, and health services with free medicines for senior citizens as prescribed by respective medical officers from government dispensaries, hospitals, medical centres, and 25 per cent concession on all private hospitals and clinics.

The council will provide assistance to retired senior citizens in receiving their pension-related benefits and other dues from concerned departments and organisations.

Besides, it is understood to ensure 50pc concession for senior citizens in road transport fares and 25pc discount on purchase of goods, medicines, and essential commodities.

The draft of the bill states that 50pcconcession will be provided to senior citizens on both public and private, within and inter-city transport. Besides, a concession will be provided on the tickets of Pakistan Railways and PIA on filling prescribed forms.

The bill also envisages a concession of 25pc on drugs and medicines for the treatment of age-related illnesses of senior citizens.

The council will also ensure provision of 25pc discount at recreation centres, cinemas, theatres, visiting places including hostels, motels, resorts, restaurants, food points and lodging establishments.

Besides ensuring provision of free services by the local council for funeral and burial on the death of a senior citizen, it also provides exemption to senior citizen from training fee for socio-economic programmes.

`These are highly ambitious plans that require ample funds, transparency and the government`s spirit to do good for the elderly. At present none of these are in sight,` said an official.

An official in the ministry admitted that there were financial constraints, but, he claimed, the matter had been dis-cussed at superior quarters a number of times.

`We have discussed it,` he said, adding that the greater requirement for the ministry was to improve its capacity to translate the grand design into reality.

Pakistan among the 15 countries with more than 10 million people has already close to 20 million people aged 60 and above, which would swell to 45 million or more after 10 years.

While the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates 43.3 million aged populationsinPakistan by2025,experts said it could swell even more with improving health care facilities though in the private sector in the country`s increasing urban landscape.

It says two out ofevery three aged 60 or over, live in developing countries. By 2050, nearly four in five people aged 60 and over will live in the developing world.

In 2000, for the first time in history, there were more people over 60 than children below 5. By 2050, for the first time, there will be more elderly people than children under 15. The number is projected to be two billion by 2050.