Six of a family arrested for ‘protest suicide’ attempt on The Mall

LAHORE:

A man, his wife and four children were arrested on Friday for attempted ‘suicide’ for the second time in front of the Governor’s House to protest the government’s failure to help them in an inheritance dispute.

Rajab Hussain, his wife, Yasmin Akhtar, and four children have been living in a tent put up near the Lahore Press Club for several years. They have been seeking government’s help in retrieving a property from Hussain’s step brothers, which he says they had grabbed after killing his father.

Hussain along with his family approached the Governor’s House after the arrival of the president. He demanded the guards to let him in so he could meet the president.

When he was stopped, he told his son and wife to cut themselves with blades. He also spilled some kerosene oil on his body and tried to start a fire. He was stopped by the security guards and the police.

Some 30 minutes later, Hussain was taken to Civil Lines police station.

An FIR was registered against Hussain, his wife and their eldest son, Shahzeb Haider, 16. Police said they have recovered three blades from Hussain’s pocket.

Hussain had made a similar attempt during the president’s last visit to the city. Police said that the ‘kerosene oil’ he had doused himself with then had been water.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2012.