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Committee formed to probe causes of suicides in Chitral

PESHAWAR: The KP health department has decided to carry out a probe into reasons and circumstances that have led to the rising number of suicide incidents among young people in Chitral.

The health department took the decision after 45 cases of suicide were reported in Chitral this year alone, with the latest one being a 22-year-old girl killing herself in Faizabad, Chitral, on Aug 27.

Most of those who ended their lives were youth. Within the last a few weeks, over 10 boys and girls reportedly committed suicide after failing to obtain good marks in their intermediate exam.

Reports also indicated that some of the deceased had a history or at least symptoms of clinical depression.

A notification issued by the director general (DG) health KP stated that following several suicide cases in the district of Chitral a committee is being constituted to conduct an investigation.

“The committee will find out the main factors involved and recommend psychotherapy of others with a tendency of a suicide attempt and submit a report as soon as possible.”

The committee will be headed by Dr Azmatullah, director admin DG health office Peshawar (chairman), and consist of the district health officer Chitral and two deputy directors psycho-social programme at the DG health office as its members.

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8 Comments
  1. Syed Fahad says

    Wise decision by KP government highly appreciated. First time a proper committee is constituted to probe into the matter and to find the root causes of ongoing suicide trend by professional experts. In my eyes awareness vis-a-vis social and emotional intelligence needs to be incorporated and disseminated in educational institutes.

  2. Irshad says

    what ever result, it seems that suicide is a big issue for Chitral and there must be some steps to stop it. It is sad to see how pessimism is taking its toll on our youth as I am sure that we are becoming a hopeless lots for unknown reasons.

  3. javed karim says

    This is just a cosmetic step and lacks substance. These four men will put their heads together and come up with recommendations on the basis of some information gathered from local people for the government and after that the red tapped file will start gathering dust in the table of some bureaucrat. It is strange that in order to know and check a highly complicated social issue, no representation has been given to any local expert to properly understand the root causes.
    I am unable to understand what steps the government can or will take to stop a person from killing themselves unless society as a whole inculcate among its members, especially the younger ones, how to live a life if not a happy life and meet challenges instead of surrendering to them by killing oneself.

  4. Shah Karez says

    Looking forward to have fully justified and action oriented report. Not like the half backed ones we have had before from other sources.

  5. Dr Asad says

    Initiative is good but the members should be professional psychiatrists and psychologists rather than management officials because it is not a management issue.

  6. Nizar Ali says

    Root cause should be identified as only depression is not a cause of suicides happening in chitral. Proper counselling of students and parents at school and community level can help out. Research and interventions is also needed

  7. Rozina Karmaliani says

    Hope task group comes up with public health community based interventions to be instituted in schools, colleges and at community level. Many countries have shown that pshychotherapy alone is not a solution as clinical depression is not the only cause. Let us all work together to increase par
    ents, teachers bond with todays youth.

  8. Farida Shah says

    This is great initiative by Govt, the trend of sucide is rising day by day in Chitral. Hope to get some practical recommendations from the committee.

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