Women at old age home await loved ones
Among them is Bakmina, originally from Mardan. After her husband's passing, she moved to Lahore, raised her children, and saw them settle into their own families. But now, she lives alone in Aafiyat.
"My son is a good man," she says, "but my daughter-in-law threatened to leave if I stayed with them. I couldn't let my son's home break apart because of me." Her daughter in Karachi insisted she move in, but she refused, saying, "As a Pakhtun woman, I cannot live in my son-in-law's house."
The old age home currently shelters 33 senior citizens — 21 men and 12 women. Among them, Rukhsana Zafar from Faisalabad and Naseem Akhtar from Shahkot share similar fates.
Rukhsana's voice trembles as she recalls her children.
"Children may forget their parents, but mothers never forget their children," she says. "NGOs and students visit us on Eid and Mother's Day, but my own sons never come." One occasionally calls, but the others have erased her from their lives.
Naseem Akhtar, too, battles loneliness. After her husband's death, her own brothers took possession of her inheritance, while her in-laws seized her husband's property.
She lived with her only daughter until her sudden death. Left with nowhere to go, her son-in-law forced her out. "Now, I have no one," she says. "I have a grandson in high school. We talk on the phone, but he never visits."
While some at Aafiyat have families who have abandoned them, others never had families of their own. To ease their pain, the home keeps them engaged in activities. Aafiyat's in-charge, Sumaira Aslam, says, "Each resident here has a unique story. While we cannot replace their families, we ensure they are well cared for, providing proper meals, healthcare, and a comfortable environment."
The facility offers a TV lounge, newspapers, magazines, and religious activities like prayers and Quran recitation. A meal committee, composed of residents, helps plan their daily menu.
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