KARACHI: "I feel sorry for those whose families motivate them to just earn money. For me, life is a lot more than that," said Dr Ruth Pfau on Saturday during a dialogue session - 'Our Veteran, Our Assets' - held at the Institute of Business Management (IoBM).

The event was a tribute to the senior citizens of Pakistan, aimed at enlightening young people through first-hand accounts shared by local icons Dr Ruth Pfau, Sarim Burney, Haseena Moin, Dr Ansaruddin Syed and other human rights activists working across the country.

One major theme of the talk was the need to work toward the betterment of the country. As Dr Ansaruddin Syed put it, "Food is promised by Allah so concentrate on hard work to be a better representative of your country, for its people, and most importantly, for the sake of being happy."

Dr Ruth Pfau, a German nun who has devoted 50 years of her life fighting 'leprosy' in Pakistan shared anecdotes about family life and her love for Pakistan.

"I stayed in Pakistan because I enjoyed it to my fullest. For me there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a smile on my patient’s face. That’s my happiness. Go find yours," Dr Pfau encouraged students.

"Life is wonderful, and if it is not, then make an effort to make it so," she said.

Haseena Moin, a dramatist and scriptwriter, told the audience about her life experience. Speaking on old age, she said, "The idea of old age homes in Pakistan is heart wrenching for me. To see parents wait for their own daughters and sons to visit them on Sundays tears me apart. It is a bizarre reality that we are getting to see more frequently."