Father of Punjab University student declines legal action following suicide

The father of Umme Habiba, a student who recently committed suicide at Punjab University, has declined to pursue any legal action.

Umme Habiba was found dead in her hostel room, leading to an investigation by local police. Her body was returned to her family for burial in their ancestral village, Randhir Bagriyan, Sambrial.

The 22-year-old student, enrolled in the International Relations program, reportedly took her life by hanging from a ceiling fan in Hostel Number 8, Room 74.

According to police, the circumstances surrounding her death are under investigation. Nabeela Kausar, the investigation officer, indicated that the post-mortem report would provide more insight into the incident.

DIG Operations Lahore, Muhammad Faisal Kamran, has requested a detailed report from the local SP, Bilal Ahmed, as police explore all potential aspects of the case.

There has been a concerning increase in suicide rates in Pakistan with figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) showing an increase from 7.3 suicides per 100,000 people in 2019 to 8.9 in 2020, and reaching 9.8 in 2022.

Dr. Nasim Chaudhry, CEO of the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) and a psychiatrist, reported that globally, approximately 700,000 individuals die by suicide each year. She noted that in Pakistan, suicide has become the fourth leading cause of death.