Sindh to strengthen mental-health support amid rising suicides

Responding to the alarming rise in suicide cases across Tharparkar, the provincial Human Rights Department has announced a new Joint Human Rights and Legal Support Unit at the Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry, Hyderabad

The unit will strengthen mental-health protections, legal aid, and psychosocial support for vulnerable patients. The recent joint suicide of three young men in Thar had triggered widespread concerns on state of mental health in the desert areas.

The initiative emerged during an extensive visit and coordination session held at the Institute, led by Director Human Rights Agha Fakhur Hussain.

The meeting brought together Medical Superintendent Professor Dr Nisar Sohu, senior clinical psychologists, hospital administrators, and representatives of HANDS-one of the country's leading organisations in the development and health sectors.

The visit and subsequent decisions fall under the broader vision of Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Human Rights, Rajvir Singh Sodha, who has repeatedly emphasised the need to reinforce mental-health services and ensure legal safeguards for at-risk communities across Sindh.

Under the plan, the newly established unit will be jointly managed by the Human Rights Department and the hospital administration. Officials said the unit aims to ensure that all admitted patients receive timely legal guidance, full protection of their rights, and structured support in navigating legal processes that often accompany mental-health cases, particularly those involving family disputes, property conflicts, or criminal investigations.

A major component of the initiative is a targeted focus on the escalating suicide trend in Sindh's desert districts, where clusters of cases have been reported over recent months. To support the ongoing fact-finding exercise ordered by the Human Rights Department, the Institute will nominate a three-member committee of senior psychologists.