n October 1, the world marked the UN International Day of Older Persons. For many in Pakistan, this may seem like a distant issue, since our public discourse is still dominated by the celebrated “youth bulge.” Yet the numbers tell a different story. More than 13 million Pakistanis are already aged 60 and above. By 2050, this number will rise to 36 million. That is a population larger than today’s Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad combined.

While this shift is often spoken of only in terms of rising costs and dependency, there is another way to look at it. Around the world, policymakers and businesses are talking about the “silver economy,” that is the economic and social value generated by older persons. For Pakistan, which faces fiscal pressures and limited resources, the silver economy could be a vital opportunity if embraced early.

Older people are not just dependents. They are living repositories of skills, knowledge and experience. They are also active consumers with needs that generate demand for new goods and services. Many of them are capable of extending their working lives, starting small businesses, mentoring younger workers and caring for grandchildren in ways that allow mothers to join the labour force. In other words, ageing can be reimagined not as a looming social burden, but as an economic driver that strengthens families, communities and markets.

This is not just theory. In my earlier writing on “active and healthy ageing,” I emphasised that ageing should not be equated with inevitable decline. It can also be a phase of renewal, creativity and contribution. Across Pakistan, retired teachers still tutor neighbourhood children, former engineers advise young entrepreneurs, and grandparents sustain family structures by providing unpaid care. These roles are often invisible in GDP figures, but their contribution is undeniable. Economists call this “intergenerational value creation,” which is a process by which older persons........

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