Aqibullah, Chitral
Whenever I hear news of discovering a dead body from the Chitral River, I cannot help but think about the very first person who had used this blessing of God to kill himself.
Chitral River has become a graveyard. In other countries, river water is used for irrigation and many other useful purposes. These tidings of discovering a dead body from the river have become prevalent. Not a single week passes without hearing the news of someone committing suicide by jumping into the river Chitral.
Water is considered sine qua non of life, but in our place it has become a weapon to take one’s own life.
What makes this situation worse is that we never take this issue seriously, which has already become an albatross around our necks. Mental issues being faced by toddlers aren’t taken seriously.
When someone contracts even a minor headache, he or she craves to visit the doctor for a proper check-up. But when a child tells us that he’s not feeling well and doesn’t know what’s happening to him/her, he isn’t given any heed; rather, he’s rebuffed, saying, “It happens.” Due to this callous attitude, we keep on hearing the news of suicides.
Realization sessions must be started to address issues regarding mental illness. Religious scholars can also play a vital role in this regard by addressing these issues during their sermons.
We can’t solve national and international issues by cursing them, but we can strive to save many lives by not burying our heads in the sand.