Tag: suicide

  • From justifying career choice to succumbing to its toxicity: the tragic death of Bilal Pasha

    From justifying career choice to succumbing to its toxicity: the tragic death of Bilal Pasha

    Muhammad Bilal Pasha came under the spotlight as a candidate who cleared CSS examination, securing 85th position in the prestigious test having come from a humble background. In an old video that emerged after the result, he was seen standing next to his father against the backdrop of a brick wall, advocating about keeping the field open for those who work hard for it. He credited his father for his hard work.

    He then got interviewed by TV Channels to share his struggle of being a son of a mason, yet reaching for the stars.

    On November 27, the sad news of his demise surfaced online. #BilalPasha is trending on Twitter since the news broke out. He allegedly committed suicide.

    Bilal was serving as a Chief Executive Officer in the Bannu Cantonment Board. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Cantt Azmat Khan, Pasha was suffering from mental stress for several days which led to the suicide.

    The police said that they found Pasha’s body covered in blood inside his residence where he shot himself. They added that his body has been moved to the District Headquarters Hospital, Bannu, reports Geo.

    According to a media report, the police have launched an inquiry into the incident to find out whether Pasha committed suicide or was murdered. They also said that he had a bullet wound in his head.

    His funeral prayers were offered in his home district of Khanewal. His father talked to BBC, stating that the last conversation he had with his son was on Saturday in which he told him that he is getting a transfer.

    The old man who worked hard to raise his son was crying at the loss. Ahmed Yar told BBC that a week ago his son was telling him about the tiresome job and that he want to either quit or get time off so that he could just sleep and unwind.

    Bilal’s father talked about how he was not able to reach him after the last call and that his friend broke the news to him.

    Bilal separated from his wife a few months into the marriage about two to three years ago.

    He pledged to be a guiding light for those who can not afford to join big academies for CSS preparation in his initial viral video and fulfilled the promise by becoming a mentor for many.

    His unfortunate death has diverted people’s attention towards the importance of mental health.

    Senior CSP Hamza Shafqaat tweeted about all those who have committed suicide in past years stressing how they are not mere numbers but people dealing with mental health issues.

    Many of his seniors and other colleagues are expressing grief in social media messages. Zoha Malik Sher wrote, “The passing of our colleague, Bilal Pasha, is a moment of grief, not a topic for discussion.”

    However, CSP Asif Nawaz, the sixth position holder of CSS-2017 had a different view.

    “Politically incorrect, but amusingly ironic is the fact that many of the civil servants putting up hefty, poignant statuses/tweets about this would be really small people in their own offices, doing their best to make it a toxic environment for those working under them.”

    Another officer of 46th Common, Mirza Bilal Hassan tweeted, “I have never met Bilal Pasha and i can never feel the agony he went through. Civil service is rotten to its core and is frequently killing people. It is high time for the young civil servants to speak up and alter the old, rotten, corrupt, and inhumane values of civil service OR WAIT FOR THE NEXT/YOURS DEATH.”

    Bilal’s father and brother have been interviewed by different media outlets where they denied any knowledge of him being depressed. The two have also narrates stories of his hard work and commitment to the job while maintaining humility.

    Bilal’s father clearly told Urdu Point that there was no work-related pressure on his son.

    Bilal’s eldest brother talked about his last conversation with his sibling and said that he inquired about his son’s studies with Bilal and the latter told him that he is doing fine and will become a CSP in the future.

    Many of Pasha’s students are demanding an investigation into his death, expressing dissatisfaction over the declaration of his demise as a suicide. To them, he was a happy-go-lucky person, patriotic and optimistic. There are an ample number of tweets with #JusticeforBilalPasha.

  • ‘Depression is not being away from God’: Anoushey Ashraf, Zara Noor Abbas encourage followers to recognise mental illness

    ‘Depression is not being away from God’: Anoushey Ashraf, Zara Noor Abbas encourage followers to recognise mental illness

    After the tragic news of Maulana Tariq Jameel’s son passing away in what is being said was suicide, celebrities are urging their followers to recognise the importance of taking care of their mental health. Asim Jameel, the younger son of the Maulana, passed away after shooting himself with a gun at his ancestral home in Tulamba.

    Social media was left heart broken after Yousef Jamil confirmed to the press that his brother Asim had passed away from suicide. Now more public figures like Zara Noor Abbas want people to understand that depression should be recognised as an illness.

    “For all those who say that depression happens because of deen say duri, please take the example of Maulana Tariq Sahab’s son who was suffering from it even though he had a house full of religious activities and his father being such an honoured religious scholar,” the actress penned.

    “Please understand that depression is real like any other illness,” Zara stressed to her followers. “It sucks everything out of you. Please seek help and support for it. My heart goes out to the family of the deceased. May Allah grant him Jannah and peace after all.”

    Actress and VJ Anoushay Ashraf slammed the common assumption that depression happens when people are away from God, and spoke about how it should be recognised as a medical issue.

    “I hope those celebs who unknowingly but hurt fully speak about how depression is being away from Allah (SWT) realise that it’s very much a medical issue. Many troubles and issues in life can perhaps be because of your disconnect with the higher being, I get your viewpoint but depression is a ‘real’ sickness and disease. It’s not being away from God, it’s being ill. Very ill in such cases.”

  • We need to talk about depression and mental health…now

    We need to talk about depression and mental health…now

    The recent tragic incident involving the son of a prominent religious scholar, Maulana Tariq Jamil, has once again brought the discussion of mental health to the forefront.

    The heartbreaking revelation that Asim Jamil, son of Maulana Tariq Jamil, couldn’t survive due to severe depression and eventually took his own life, highlights the urgent need to address the often-neglected intersection between religion and mental health.

    According to the elder son of Maulana Tariq Jamil, Yousaf Jamil, Asim had been grappling with severe depression since childhood. Despite undergoing treatment, including Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), his mental illness only deepened in the last six months.

    As evidenced by Asim’s case, where even Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) proved ineffective, the necessity of professional medical intervention in severe cases of mental illness cannot be overstated.

    Despite the claims of certain public figures such as Resham, who said that depression “does not exist” and Feroz Khan, who while responding to a fan’s question regarding curing depression among 21-25 years old girls said: “Obey your men. Give them your responsibility and sit back and enjoy grapes. I’d do that if I was a woman. Be a queen,” it is important to recognise the limitations of this approach.

    It is pertinent to mention that the suicide rate in Pakistan has alarmingly crossed eight per cent (per 100,000 people), according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and this can significantly be associated with mental health problems.

    According to WHO, there are only 0.19 psychiatrists in Pakistan per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest numbers in the WHO-EMRO region as well as the entire world. The absence of trained mental health professionals in the country has created a major treatment gap, leaving more than 90 per cent with mental health issues untreated.

    Unfortunately, we, as a cultural collective, only end up making fun of people with mental health issues, sweep it under the carpet or pretend as if mental health is not an issue at all. We forget that globally, one in eight people have mental health conditions. We forget that being insensitive to mental health issues only increases the pain and agony of those who are facing these issues.

    In a country where we think a mentally troubled young man’s illness will be cured if he gets married, where we think talking about mental illness or seeking therapy or psychiatric treatment means you’re either not ‘man enough’, ‘weak’ or ‘mental’, we must raise awareness about mental health and how medical science can help resolve these issues.

    The unfortunate incident involving Asim Jamil highlights the urgency of destigmatising conversations surrounding mental health. It is imperative to foster an environment where individuals feel comfortable discussing their struggles openly without fear of judgement or discrimination.

  • Maulana Tariq Jamil’s son, Asim Jamil shot, passes away

    Maulana Tariq Jamil’s son, Asim Jamil shot, passes away

    Maulana Tariq Jamil’s son dies of bullet wound.

    Renowned cleric Maulana Tariq Jamil suffered a personal loss on Sunday evening when his son, Asim Jamil died of a bullet wound at his ancestral home in Tulamba, close to Mian Chunnu.

    Conflicting reports are giving different causes for Asim Jamil’s death.

    Maulana Tariq Jamil has himself taken to social media to say the death was “accidental”, while asking people to pray for his son’s soul.

    Multiple reports have said that Asim Jamil was transferred to a Rural Health facility in Mian Chunnu in a critical state with a bullet wound to his chest.

    He passed away at the hospital.

  • Suicide rate at an all time high in Gilgit Baltistan

    Suicide rate at an all time high in Gilgit Baltistan

    An astounding 85 people have committed suicide since January 2022 in Gilgit Baltistan, including 50 males and 35 females.

    In a shocking revelation made by the Pamir Times, the numbers are showing a grim and a less-talked-about reality of Gilgit Baltistan region where contrary to popular belief, more men and boys are dying by taking their own lives compared to girls and women.

    Due to the stigma attached to suicide, not all cases are reported in the media. Sometimes even homicides are presented as suicides to save the perpetrators.

    There could be a number of factors which are pushing people to the brink but at the heart of it is deteriorating state of mental health among the inhabitants of the region.

    Even though the Government has in recent years made mental health a priority by making a helpline to offer support and counselling, the efforts are not enough.

  • ‘Amir Liaquat didn’t want to divorce me’: Bushra Iqbal

    Bushra Iqbal, the ex-wife of late television host and politician Aamir Liaquat, was a guest on Hafiz Ahmed’s podcast where she opened up about her 2020 divorce. The late politician’s divorce of his wife Syeda Bushra in 2020 left many in surprise, particularly as it came after he married actress Tuba Anwar.

    At the time, Bushra had announced on her Instagram account that her marriage to the television host had ended, confirming that she was divorced by Liaquat on the phone at the request of his second wife, an act she termed traumatic for their two children.

    Speaking at the podcast, the lawyer and television producer revealed she had not wanted to leave Aamir, but Tuba and her family kept pushing Aamir to divorce her, which is why he did it.

    Bushra also addressed the leaked videos controversy, where the late host could be seen walking around a small room without clothes. Bushra said she was disappointed at how revenge videos were released to shame her husband.

    “Honour is not just a woman’s. A man has honour as well. Had this happened to a woman, the entire country would have been out on the street, burning things. But a woman had done this. Men and women are kept equal. God has not kept the level of punishment different in the Quran.”

    “People didn’t speak up. I was quite hurt. Everyone had their fun. YouTubers, members, everyone…People should think, ‘What if this happened to me?’  The best of people end up killing themselves. Who [ends up killing themselves]? Those who have no shame or honour. Otherwise, people have a lot of videos leaked, it was his honour. There are many videos of him crying. Some people claim we weren’t in contact. About facing his kids, he’s crying and saying – there are many audios that people haven’t even heard, I have them, on which basis I am fighting the case.” 

  • Muslim man shoots Hindu girl before killing himself after families don’t give marriage permission

    Muslim man shoots Hindu girl before killing himself after families don’t give marriage permission

    Trigger warning: murder, death

    Muhammad Asif Brohi, a Muslim resident of Hyderabad, has reportedly killed himself after firing at Gauri Kohli, a Hindu girl he wanted to marry.

    The attempted murder- suicide took place after the families of both the boy and the girl objected to their desire to marry.

    According to Tribune, the woman is currently in critical condition in the hospital after surviving a bullet injury. Brohi killed himself by firing a bullet through his head, police have confirmed.

    Officials stated that Brohi’s body had been handed to his family after post-mortem, while Kohli has been shifted to Liaqat University Hospital.

  • Masood suicide case: Recordings of calls with lenders reveal pressure on victim

    Masood suicide case: Recordings of calls with lenders reveal pressure on victim

    Following the suicide of Muhammad Masood, a victim of online loan sharks, his last voice note and conversations with the representative of the online loan lenders have revealed the pressure and emotional strain the deceased person was going through.

    Lahore Rang has shed light on the final days of the man who borrowed money to pay his children’s school fee.

    A recording of Mr Masood’s last message to his loved ones state, “I could neither be a good father, a good husband nor a good son. I’m under debt as I took loan and it’s all piled up with interest now. That’s the reason why I’ve been requesting you to sell the house, but you refused. The loan lenders have made my life miserable. I had no other option. Please forgive me. Keep my phone powered off for at least a month and then hand it over to Muneeb after throwing away the sim cards. I’m so sorry. Masood.”
    The 42-year-old was being incessantly harassed and threatened by the loan lenders. In one recording, a representative of the loan sharks can be heard blackmailing Masood, hurling threats, adding female members of the victim’s family to the call and insulting them along with him.
    In one recording he could be heard telling Masood to kill himself. His exact words were, “Get on video call with me right now and shoot yourself.” To which the poor man replied that he will.
    The victim’s brother has filed a complaint with the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency, seeking justice for Muhammad Masood.

    Pakistan 24 has reported that two offices of such illegal companies have been sealed by the FIA, during raids carried out in the light of the mobile records of Masood.

  • Father of two takes his life after a Rs13,000 loan turns into Rs700,000 after interest

    Father of two takes his life after a Rs13,000 loan turns into Rs700,000 after interest

    The unregulated rise of online micro-lending has given way to a disturbing pattern of intimidation and harassment towards borrowers, resulting in tragic outcomes. In one such case, a 42-year-old father named Muhammad Masood took his own life due to overwhelming pressure from online loan sharks.

    Masood, a resident of Rawalpindi, initially borrowed Rs13,000 through an online application to cover his children’s school fees and house rent after losing his job. However, the loan quickly accumulated interest, skyrocketing to Rs700,000 within weeks. Unable to repay the lenders, Masood faced threats and harassment, ultimately leading to his decision to hang himself.

    According to Geo, Masood’s wife revealed that her husband’s death was directly attributed to the debt he incurred through the online lending app. The loan, initially taken for Rs13,000, quickly ballooned to Rs100,000 with interest. In a final message, Masood expressed his anguish over the loan sharks making his life unbearable.

    Representatives from the loan companies blackmailed and threatened Masood, as per his wife’s account. They even threatened to leak his personal data. Following Masood’s suicide, his brother filed a complaint with the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency, seeking justice for the family.

    Masood’s wife recounted how her husband experienced harassment within a week of obtaining the loan, with the amount rapidly increasing to Rs50,000. Representatives from the online companies resorted to blackmail and threats, exacerbating the family’s distress.

    The devastating case of Muhammad Masood highlights the urgent need for regulations in online micro-lending. Predatory lending practices continue to wreak havoc on vulnerable borrowers, necessitating immediate action to protect individuals and prevent further tragedies.

  • Asian U21 silver medalist snooker player Mohammad Majid Ali commits suicide

    Asian U21 silver medalist snooker player Mohammad Majid Ali commits suicide

    Renowned snooker player Mohammad Majid Ali, a silver medalist in the Asian U21 championship, sadly took his own life on Thursday, the first day of Eid-ul-Azha. Family sources have confirmed that Majid had been battling with depression for several years.

    Alamgir Sheikh, Chairman of the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA), conveyed the distressing news to fellow players and members of the sports organization via a text message. This unfortunate event marks the second loss within a month for the Pakistani snooker community, as they had recently mourned the passing of Mohammad Bilal.

    The circumstances surrounding Majid’s death are both shocking and distressing. Majid’s brother, Umar, has confirmed that it was indeed a case of suicide. Majid tragically ended his life making use of a wood-cutting machine in his hometown of Samundri, near Faisalabad.

    Umar further confirmed that Majid had been enduring depression for the past few years, although the specific reasons remain unknown. Financial difficulties were ruled out as a contributing factor.

    Expressing his deep shock, the PBSA Chairman, in an interview with Geo, highlighted Majid’s exceptional talent, acknowledging that although his ranking had recently declined, he had always exhibited immense potential. He expressed profound sorrow at the loss of such a promising talent within the Pakistani snooker community.

    “We are profoundly saddened by the news of his passing. This is an immense loss for the Pakistani snooker community,” he concluded.