Daily Times

Sir: Last month I happened to read a very disturbing report about two teenage boys killing their friend. Though their crime was relatively well planned, their seemed to be no clear motive. They penned a letter to the victim’s family asking for ransom, but by then they had already committed the murder, meaning the motive for the ransom demand was just causing the poor family even more distress.

Violence, depression and suicide seem to be on the rise among the Pakistani youth. This is not surprising, since we are certainly a violent society. The murders of Salman Taseer and Mashal Khan proved that much. There are also several factors that would contribute to higher rates of depression, such as lack of opportunities for employment and restrictions on how one is allowed to express him or herself.

This is a catastrophe waiting to happen. If we don’t manage this situation soon, we could soon become like the US, where school shootings have become commonplace. I urge all parents to watch out for signs of mental illness in their children, so that they can get the help they need on time.

SHAHID FAROOQ

Karachi

Published in Daily Times, June 14^th 2018.