Parents’ forced eviction

The forced eviction of parents can lead to the arrest and imposition of fine on the perpetrators as per the ruling of the Lahore High Court under the Parents Protection Ordinance (PPO) 2021. The ordinance that was promulgated in May 2021 provides the much needed protection to the parents, whose children refuse to take care of their residential needs in their old age. According to the ordinance, parents would have the protection of residing in their houses even if their siblings are owners of houses or they have rented them out. While in cases where the ownership rights vest with parents, they could ask their children to vacate houses.

The mistreatment of parents by their children is a tragic phenomenon. It was an issue prevailing in the west but now it is becoming common in Pakistan too. According to the reported data, 25.2 per cent of parents in Islamabad have experienced physical assault. In Islamabad 31.8pc elderly men and 16.7pc elderly women experience mistreatment by their own children. Over a fourth of such cases – 25.2pc – abound in the urban areas of the capital. The case of Balochistan is also shocking where 14.7pc of parents have experienced oppressive behaviour from their own children. While 21.8pc elderly men in the province have experienced maltreatment, about 6pc elderly women have also been subjected to disrespect. Sindh follows next with 8.2pc of parents being mistreated by their children, with Punjab at 6.1pc and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 2.4pc. These are alarming figures revealing that parents are not safe in their own homes. The stories of parents being evicted by their offspring are compelling and require a societal change. In fact, it is the nightmare of a lot of parents who raise their children with love and care and after reaching old age face cruel treatment at their children’s hands. The presence of parents at homes is a blessing rather than a nuisance as there are a lot of occasions when one needs the experience of one’s parents. There is a need to conduct an awareness campaign about the rights of parents and their utility in various chores which can keep them busy without risking their health.