15 daily hunger-driven suicide threat calls overwhelm Punjab police

A distressing surge in suicides linked to poverty and hunger has gripped Punjab, as the provincial police helpline 15 has been inundated with calls from 242 desperate families in just 16 days, all teetering on the brink of starvation and despair.

Khalid, a resident of Panju village on the outskirts of Lahore, had made a call at the helpline, saying that he was starving to death and planned to claim his life by self-immolation.

The situation unfolded as Muhammad Azeem, the in-charge of Industrial Area Police Station, responded swiftly to Khalid's distress call. Azeem visited Khalid's home, providing him with ration and food. A similar plea for help had emerged in Begum Kot/Shahdara, Lahore, just a few days prior.

The alarming trend of such calls to the police has seen an unprecedented spike, with Punjab Police stepping in to provide assistance to an average of 15 families daily who have threatened to end their lives due to hunger.

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The first such cry for help reached the police on August 21 in Vehari. Since then, Punjab Police have extended a lifeline to 242 families facing the dire threat of suicide due to poverty and hunger, with these compassionate acts gaining widespread attention on social media.

Data showed that 17 such cases were reported in Lahore, 23 in Okara, 22 in Rawalpindi, 18 in Layyah, 20 in Rahim Yar Khan, 15 in DG Khan, 10 in Muzzafargarh, 11 in Faisalabad, 15 in Gujranwala, 10 in Multan, eight in Lodhran, seven in Vehari, six in Attock, and five in Sheikhupura.

Additionally, four cases each were reported in Jhang, Khanewal, Mandi Bahauddin, and Bahawalpur, while three cases each emerged in Sargodha, Kasur, Jhelum, and Bahawalnagar.

Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police, Usman Anwar, affirmed that the police have been providing ration to struggling families using their own resources, reflecting a commitment to community policing. Anwar assured that this crucial public service will continue.

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Just days ago, Anwar had announced the expansion of Police Helpline 15's scope, shifting its focus from responding solely to crime-related emergencies to also aiding those in desperate need of food.

Waqas Nazir, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Punjab Operations, disclosed that the transformation towards community-friendly policing began after a chilling call was made to Helpline 15 in Vehari.

A man told police that he along with his children was going to commit suicide because he did not have food, ration to feed his children. Responding to his call, the district police reached at his residence with ration.

Nazir emphasised that the police are willing to act as intermediaries between those in need and those willing to donate, forging a compassionate bridge within the community.