Rising suicide cases

Increasing economic difficulties are undeniably playing a significant role in rising number of suicides in the country


Editorial January 19, 2020

It should ring alarm bells for the government and society. Between July 2018 and June 2019, as many as 337 people, including women and children, committed suicide in Sindh, according to figures compiled by the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

Of this, 114 persons killed themselves in Karachi, the provincial capital. Poverty and lack of health facilities are the main reasons for the increasing trend of suicide in the province. Some suicide cases also occurred due to mental health issues. After Karachi, in Umerkot 24 people committed suicide.

Speaking at a seminar in Karachi on Jan 17, SHRC Chairperson Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi said that poverty, social customs, marginalisation and social and class discrimination were cited by locals as the reasons for the increasing rate of suicide in Tharparkar.

She said the highest number of people committed suicide in November in the desert district in all of Sindh. Other speakers too said poverty was the main cause that drove most people to take their own lives.

They also ascribed the increasing trend of suicide to bad governance. The SHRC report states that 18 people committed suicide in Qambar-Shahdadkot, 17 in Tando Allahyar and 16 in Tando Mohammad Khan districts.

The mental health issue too is linked to economic and social issues like discrimination and exploitation. Those suffering from dire poverty in most cases also suffer from mental health issues. Some of the desperately poor, who does not have mental health issues, are driven to a situation where they lose basic human qualities, most importantly self-respect.

They have no qualms about fulfilling their own needs and entirely ignoring those of their dependents.

The increasing economic difficulties are undeniably playing a significant role in the rising number of suicides in the country.

The PTI government has taken some steps to help the poor in these difficult times like opening soup kitchens and shops where essential food items are available at cheaper rates, but much more needs to be done.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2020.

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