Iftikhar Thakur links diabetes to envy, warns negative emotions can cause health problems

Comedian says envy can also lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, urges people to help each other

Comedian and actor Iftikhar Thakur claimed that diabetes is caused by envy and jealousy, making the assertion during a recent podcast appearance.

"I feel that when people say their daughters tell them the reason they have high sugar is because of tension, it is actually due to jealousy and envy," he said. The comedian added, "A person could look nice and we would wish bad upon them, and another could be successful and we would want them dead. But rather, why do we not ask God that if you made this person so beautiful and successful, could you do that for me too?"

Thakur suggested that such negative emotions can contribute to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart attacks, and brain hemorrhages. "I would say that please help each other. The life we get is so small," he urged, adding, "The real life will start afterwards."

The comedian also spoke emotionally about his late parents, terming them the most important figures in his life. "They used to stay up nights for me, raise me, make sacrifices. When they're not there anymore, it feels like a lot of people are not there," he stated.

Thakur added, "When I look at the chair in my office, I wish my mom was there and I could hug her, make her sit on the chair and sit at her feet. If my dad was there, I would stand behind him, take a picture, and then frame it."

Despite the pain of losing his parents, Thakur said he believes "one sacrifice can bring many blessings," speaking about his family including his wife, three daughters, and son.

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Reflecting on his career, Thakur shared stories of a difficult upbringing, saying he took on electrical work, woodworking, and painting in his neighbourhood alongside his studies to help support his family of nine.

He later joined the Pakistan Coast Guard and served in the police in Islamabad before a moment of realisation changed his path. “After 13 years, I realised that I was doing all this to make my mom proud, yet I had left her all alone,” he said, explaining that this realisation led him to leave his job.

He then entered the comedy business through a friend from Faisalabad. "I used to see him walking alone talking to himself and thought he was crazy," Thakur said, sharing that he later learnt his friend was actually rehearsing scripts and was involved in theatre work.

After visiting the theatre, Thakur began contributing ideas and suggested introducing a humorous character to attract audiences. "When I entered, the whole room would clap," he said, reflecting on how that moment marked the beginning of his love for comedy.