Special Correspondent
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has underscored the central role of social solidarity, philanthropy, and volunteerism in building long-term and inclusive care systems during a side event held on the sidelines of the 64th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development.
Speaking at the event titled “Building an Inclusive Long-Term Care System Sustained by Social Solidarity: Türkiye’s 130-Year-Old Home of Compassion ‘Darülaceze’_ as an Example of Good Practice,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, praised Türkiye for convening the discussion and for sharing the Darülaceze model as a powerful example of compassion translated into sustainable institutional care.
The event was jointly organized by Türkiye, Pakistan, Qatar, and Azerbaijan.
Ambassador Asim noted that Darülaceze’s century-long experience demonstrates that long-term care systems are strongest when state responsibility is complemented by philanthropy, volunteerism, and community ownership.
He emphasized that these principles resonate deeply with Pakistan’s own social and moral traditions, where solidarity-based care is embedded both in public policy and societal practice.
Highlighting Pakistan’s government-led initiatives, the Pakistan UN Ambassador mentioned the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) as a cornerstone of the country’s social protection framework.
He said that financed through the federal budget, BISP provides targeted cash transfers to millions of low-income households—primarily women-headed families—serving as a vital instrument for poverty alleviation, income security, and social inclusion.
“BISP reflects a clear policy choice: that protecting the most vulnerable is a responsibility of the State and a matter of dignity and rights,” he stated.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad also drew attention to the long-standing role of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal in supporting the elderly, women, persons with disabilities, orphans, and individuals without family care.
He said that services, rendered by it including residential care homes, medical assistance, rehabilitation, and vocational training, are sustained through a blended model, which combines government funding, zakat, charitable endowments, and voluntary contributions.
He further highlighted Pakistan’s globally recognized tradition of organized philanthropy and volunteerism, and cited the Edhi Foundation as a universal symbol of humanitarian service. He said that operating shelters, ambulance services, old-age homes, and emergency response networks largely through public donations and volunteers, the Foundation exemplifies society-driven care.
Ambassador Asim also noted the growing role of charitable trusts, faith-based organizations, and private-sector corporate social responsibility initiatives in supporting long-term care and community-based social services across Pakistan.
He called for greater international support to elevate solidarity-based care models from good practice to global policy. He urged the United Nations and international financial institutions to invest in their documentation, financing, and scaling as integral pillars of inclusive social development.
He also stressed the importance of strengthened South-South cooperation to exchange experiences, financing approaches, and governance models for inclusive long-term care systems.
In conclusion, Ambassador Asim highlighted a moral principle of public welfare, stating that societies endure not merely because of what they possess, but because of how they care for and share with one another. He called for continued collective efforts, which are grounded in compassion and shared responsibility.
