Suicide in Pakistan is a major public health issue.
Comparison
Pakistan's suicide rate is below the worldwide average. The 2015 global rate was 9.5 per 100,000 people Suicides represent some 0.9% of all deaths.
Pakistan's death rate, as given by the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...
, is 7.28 per 1000 people in 2015. In 2015, the suicide rate in Pakistan was approximately 9 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, slightly below the global average. Similarly, suicides represent 0.9% of all deaths. Pakistan's healthcare system is fragile, and mental health resources are severely limited. Consequently, the country has witnessed a disturbing surge in suicide rates over the past few years, as highlighted by numerous reports.
Culture
Diagnosing and covering suicide cases is generally difficult due to social stigma and legal issues that envelop the problem. Suicide is prohibited in
Islam. Various obstacles restrict open discussion of the phenomenon.
[{{cite journal , pmid=10793469 , year=2000 , last1=Khan , first1=Murad Moosa , last2=Reza , first2=Hashim , title=The pattern of suicide in Pakistan , volume=21 , issue=1 , pages=31–5 , journal=Crisis , doi=10.1027/0227-5910.21.1.31]
Attempting suicide used to be a criminal offence under the Pakistan Penal Code, with punitive laws imposed for attempted suicide punishable by a fine of Rs10,000 and/or imprisonment. However, there was an amendment in 2022 which decriminalized attempted suicide.
National suicide statistics are not compiled on a formal level nor officially reported to the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...
. Unofficial data is neglected and subject to underreporting. While suicide patterns have traditionally been low, the rate has increased steeply.{{Citation needed, date=July 2011
One analysis of suicide reports over a period of two years, showed over 300 suicide deaths in Pakistan in 35 different cities.
The findings showed that males outnumber females by a 2:1 rate, and that the majority of male suicides tended to be unmarried; the rate for females is the opposite. Research indicated that the majority of female suicides were under age 30 and that "domestic problems" were the main stated reason.
These include unemployment, health issues,
poverty, homelessness, family disputes, depression and a range of social pressures.
Hanging
Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging ...
, use of insecticides, and firearms are the most common methods for carrying out suicide in Pakistan.
[{{cite web, url=http://www.chowk.com/Views/Society/Suicide-Prevention-in-Pakistan, title=Suicide Prevention in Pakistan, first=Sohaib, last=Hassan, work=]Chowk.com
Chowk.com was a website with a focus on the current affairs, politics and cultural aspects of India and Pakistan. Its stated goal is to provoke readers go beyond soundbites and uncover the truth, however uncomfortable. It was also a magazine th ...
, date=February 27, 2009, access-date=July 2, 2011, url-status=dead, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922234720/http://www.chowk.com/Views/Society/Suicide-Prevention-in-Pakistan, archive-date=September 22, 2011{{Self-published inline, date=July 2011
References
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{{Social issues in Pakistan
{{Asia topic , prefix=Suicide in
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suicide In Pakistan
Health in Pakistan