By Zia Ul Islam Zuberi

Copyright brecorder

Among other occasions which are earmarked each year globally, there is also 10th September on which date organizations and communities around the world come together to discuss ways and means on how to create a world where there are fewer people taking their lives. This also shows that suicide is not to be taken lightly but has significant impact on society to warrant it to be taken so seriously with important people devoting their time on a pre-designated date to discuss on how to prevent it and discuss its causes and effects. This year the theme for this day is “Changing the narrative on suicide”.

The idea for suicide does not come like a bolt from the blue but there are many indications if observed beforehand that can warn persons around someone contemplating suicide to get a hint of his or her intentions.

Very common and easily traceable indications include a family history of mental disorder or substance misuse including a family history of attempted suicides. Chronic pain of the extreme kind for which the affected person is convinced there is no cure. Presence of easily accessible firearms in the house.

Exposure to such a behavior by a celebrity adored and admired. Child abuse suffered over a long period of time. Lack of hope and trust that justice will eventually prevail and hopelessness in finding justice at every step where one had hoped to find justice.

Stressful life events also play a crucial role in leading one to suicide such as the loss of a loved one, legal troubles, or financial difficulties.

Like all diseases the urge for suicide has indications that can be observed by those near and dear to the one contemplating suicide. Major indicators can include.

Talking about wanting to die or wanting to kill themselves, talking about feeling hopeless and having lost all reasons to live, expressing feelings of being trapped and run out of all hope, feeling unbearable physical and mental pain, lamenting that he or she has become a burden for the family, randomly giving away their choicest possessions, talking about death often, driving recklessly and even dangerously.

So which country would you call the suicide capital of the world? According to figures available, it has to be Lesotho. According to the World Health Organization, 87.5 people per 100,000 of the population take their own lives every year in Lesotho. By contrast that is more than double the next country on the list, Guyana in South America, where the figure is just more than 40.

At the opposite end of the scale, Cyprus recorded the lowest standardized death rates for suicide (3.5 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants), followed by Malta and Greece (both 4.0), Italy (5.6) and Slovakia (6.9).

What about our beloved country, Pakistan. In Pakistan, the rate is 9.77 suicides per 100,000 people, claiming about 20,000 lives. A very interesting point is comparison of suicides in countries by religion.

According to available statics, Protestants have the highest rate of suicide. Roman Catholics have the next highest rate, followed by Jews and Muslims. Maybe Muslims having the lowest figures as far as suicides are concerned is due to the strict prohibition of suicide. In Islam, suicide is considered a major sin and is strictly prohibited.

The Holy Quran and Hadith emphasize the sanctity of human life and encourage Muslims to seek help and patience during times of hardship. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned against suicide and emphasized the importance of patience and seeking help from Allah during difficult times. He also warned of severe punishment in the afterlife for those who commit suicide.

All around the world, several organizations and hotlines provide support and resources for individuals struggling with mental health issues and those contemplating suicide. In Pakistan, I have run across one such organization in Karachi. This organization had bill boards and wall chalking with the message “Contemplating suicide? Don’t just talk to us”. I called that number once to find out how they operate.

A gentleman who picked up the phone was not very clear but from what he told me I gathered that they try to find out the reasons for such a drastic thought which ranged from unemployment to failure in love and even in examinations.

Solutions I was told were offered but no real statistics were available to gauge the situation. A landmark for suicides in Karachi used to be the Native Jetty Bridge from which unsuccessful lovers, failures in examinations and other challenges would drop down into the sea below and while many were saved some also perished.

Anyway, you look at it suicide is not an answer for any problem.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025