Daily Times

LAHORE: At least sixteen people, including seven women, committed suicide in the provincial capital during the first five months of this year.

Renowned psychiatrist and former University of Health Sciences vice chancellor Prof Mubashar said suicide was a multi-dimensional disorder, which resulted from a complex interaction of biological, genetic, psychological and environmental factors. He said that approximately one million people commit suicide every year. “This represents one death every minute, almost 3,000 deaths every day, and one suicide attempt in every three seconds,” he added.

According to the reported data in media, a 24-year-old girl had committed suicide after jumping from the rooftop of a local hotel in Qilla Gujjar Singh on April 16. In another incident, a mentally retired woman committed suicide by jumping off from the roof of the fourth storey of Jinnah Hospital on April 6.

Similarly, on January 8, a 25-year-old youth, Raja, committed suicide by shooting himself over some domestic issue in Batapur police limits. A 30-year-old Maria committed suicide by setting herself ablaze over a quarrel with her in-laws on January 6 in Badami Bagh police area. An unknown woman committed suicide by jumping in BRB Canal in Batapur area on January 29. A 26-year-old Imran committed suicide by cutting his throat over a family dispute in Gujjarpura police limits on January 30.

Moreover, 25-year-old Faiza committed suicide by taking poisonous pills over domestic issue in Misri Shah area on February 13, while a man on February 19 committed suicide by shooting himself over his poor financial problems in Islampura.

On March 3, an employee of Punjab Irrigation Department ended his life by hanging himself with the ceiling fan at his office in Old Anarkali. The deceased, identified as Muhammad Shafique, was father of four and a resident of Bakkar Mandi. A 28-year-old youth, Bilal, had committed suicide by swallowing poisonous pills over poor financial problems in Misri Shah on March 7. Similarly, a girl, Rubab, committed suicide by swallowing poisonous pills on March 9 in Shahdra. A 28-year-old man committed suicide by hanging himself with ceiling fan over domestic problem in Millat Park on April 2.

Prof Mubashar said that some psychology experts also agreed with the fact that majority of suicides are usually linked to economic difficulties but there are other reasons behind committing suicides and these can be depressive disorders, unemployment, domestic violence, parental separation, growing economic instability, child abuse, bullying, rising inflation and loss of social cohesion which force a person to end his or her life or release them from the pain they are suffering from.