Chitral Today
Latest Updates and Breaking News

Did lack of family patronage lead to ex-MBBS student's suicide?

ISLAMABAD, Sept 2: As Chitral is still shocked over the recent suicide and murder incident at the Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS) centre Chitral, questions are being raised if economic issue was the only cause behind the former medical student’s extreme step to end his life after killing an innocent woman. Sardar Ayub, son of Khush Bahadur of Behsqaar village in the Garam Chashma valley committed suicide after killing his therapeutic counseller at the centre on Aug 26, 2013. depressionA detailed investigation into the tragic incident by chitraltoday.net revealed that the mentally-disturbed young man had well-off relatives who could have borne the expenses of his medical education without any problem or without depending on others. Sources said one of his brothers-in-law was the principal of a higher secondary school in Chitral which is run by the AKES. Background interviews with people privy to the development made it crystal clear that the unfortunate incident was solely a result of lack of patronage to the young man from his own family and relatives. The sources said the student’s  father had even banned his entry into his native area after he discontinued his medical education. Frustration and loneliness added to the miseries of the young man leading to the tragic end of his life and that of a young woman. After the incident, however, an impression was created willfully by some elements to malign the Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS) Chitral for the murder of the woman despite the fact that the organization has achieved landmark results in the health sector in every nook and corner of the backward valley. The investigation further revealed that lack of moral support from the family had secluded the former MBBS student from society. But despite all the odds, the AKHS Chitral, led by Dr Zafar Ahmed, along with the committed psychologist, Farhana Mehmood, had worked hard to rehabilitate the young man. The AKHS had formally registered the patient with one of its health centres at Garam Chashma and started the required treatment to make him a useful member of society while the Aga Khan Social Welfare Board (AKSWB) had been extending full financial support to him since 2012. Despite all the efforts by the AKHS Chitral, however, nobody at his home was willing to extend him a helping hand and support him emotionally. Finally, his father managed to send him to the district prison Chitral. However, his brother-in-law rescued him from the jail to save the family pride. It was also learnt that his brother-in-law had also managed to remove stories carried by the local media seeking financial assistance for the former MBBS student. The reason behind  the sensitivity of his brother-in-law to seek financial help from philanthropists was that such an act would tarnish the stature and dignity of his in-laws. During an informal chat with some insiders, it was also revealed that the Ismaili Council for lower Chitral, AKSWB and the AKHSP had extended full support to the mentally-disturbed young man. The sources also said the victim, Farhana Mehmood, had made utmost efforts to save the life of the man just for the sake of humanity but willful negligence of the patient’s family led to the suicide by the young man and killing of the  lady. It was Farhan Mehmood, who had also registered the patient with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s collaborating center for mental health research and training at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, where he was undergoing treatment for the last one and half year. Some insiders who wished not to be named added that Farhana took care of the patient like a family member and the whole staff of AKHS had no word for her commitment and dedication to her profession. “May God rest her soul in eternal peace as she was truly a savior of humanity and Allah almighty bestowed her with martyrdom, I could not say she was murdered,” said a senior colleague of Farhana who was so gloomy that he was unable to utter a single word while describing her commitment with her profession.]]>

You might also like

Leave a comment

error: Content is protected!!