Who is responsible for the suicides of the poor?

            The present Government started many programmes in the name of Benazir for the support of the poor but the poor instead of getting satisfaction have come out for suicides which need to be investigated without having any feelings for any political party.

            Every Senator and MNA of all the political parties in the Parliament were given thousands forms for the distribution among the poor. Here comes the first point whether the forms were really distributed among the poor? What criterion was set for gauging the poverty level of the persons being eligible for receiving these forms for the financial help every month? What selection methodology was adopted by these Legislators for the distribution of these forms for the help?

            In my opinion, all these schemes for the help are “political bribes” just to keep remember the voters by giving them a few rupees every month. The amount is so negligible that more amounts are spent on the management of these progammes than on the poor.

            At present there are two kinds of suicides, one put on a jacket and blast himself near law enforcing personnel or other Government building. The other either poisons themselves or put themselves before a train. Both these persons slap the civilized society for the last time and then face death.

            We should not discuss the legality or illegality of these suicides. We should find the reasons which lead these persons to face such tragic deaths. What prompted these people to put an end to their lives? There are reasons which need to be investigated and properly addressed.

            Islam centuries ago declared poverty the mother of all evils.

            In my view, it is the first stage of the revolution that the poor are killing themselves and then a stage would come that they would kill those who are responsible for their poverty.

            Revolution always grows up from the bottom. No leader can bring any revolution unless accompanied by persons having no regard for their lives. First the amount is inadequate to meet the requirements of the poor; second, the selection is of defective nature.

            General Musharraf was right when he criticized the ulemas for preaching only the “Rights of Allah” while totally ignoring the “Rights of the People”.

            When the Government is making censuses for the enumeration of the people, their houses, their financial status to be taxed, their educational standard etc., it should also make census for the finding the “level of poverty”. Actually, I declare Government for every shortcoming because when the Government finds ways and means for increasing its revenue why it has ignored the sources of the income of the people?

            A lot of money is being spent on the advertisements in Electronic and print media on the poverty alleviation but the poverty is increasing day by day which is evident from the frustration of the people in shape of suicides. It means that the Government is chanting slogans for the alleviation of the sufferings, not doing to enough for the people.

            Whatever reasons may be put forward for these suicides but it is a fact that a person becomes victim of depression only after being neglected by even their close relatives, set aside the Government or the NGOs and in depression the desire to kill either himself or another increases. If the number of the depressed persons increased to such a level that they come out against the Government then what would be the consequences? The Government already felt embarrassed on the issue of electricity when the people came out. Hopelessness among the people is increasing gradually and needs to be curbed because it may take violent shape in future.

Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Poverty leads woman to leap with 3 kids in front of a train (The Statesman’s report)

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Due to poverty, a woman along with her three children committed suicide by jumping in front of a train near Pir Shaheedan Colony on Saturday.

The victims were identified as Bashiran Bibi, Samina (6), Waqas (4) and Riaz (1.5).

According to family sources, Bashiran's husband Maqbool was a labourer and was unable to meet household expenditure due to which the couple used to quarrel that led to the incident.

Bashiran Bibi along with her three children jumped before the Millat Express. The train driver told APP that he saw one of the children trying to escape but the woman held the child tight. 

Police have sent the bodies to Sheikh Zayed Hospital for autopsy.

It is pertinent to mention that on Friday a woman poisoned her four children before committing suicide due to poverty.

Before that on June 16, due to poverty three people, including two young girls, died as a rickshaw driver "poisoned" all six members of his family in the Chung police precincts. The family was rushed to Jinnah Hospital where doctors managed to save two of them. - Agencies

Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai

B.Sc; L.L.B. M.A. Political Science
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