Displacement Pain: Suicide bid blamed on demolition

A man attempted suicide on Friday over the demolition of his plaza to make way for the Orange Line Metro Train project, his sister told the media. She said Abdul Qadeer, father of three, had been depressed for weeks after his plaza in Ali Town was destroyed. She said he had not been himself since the plaza was brought down. She said the family had been asleep early on Friday when they were roused by a gunshot. They found him lying in the stairs in a pool of blood, she said. She said he had apparently shot himself in the head. He was taken to Jinnah Hospital where doctors said his condition was critical. She said this was the second time his property had been razed for a development project. A few years ago, she said, his shop at Thokar Niaz Beg was demolished to build a flyover. She said he had obtained a loan to build the plaza in Ali Town. She said that the government had given him a cheque for Rs2.7 million as compensation which was not enough. “This had made him very despondent,” she said. Police said they were investigating the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2016.