Suicides in Pakistan and Our Responsibility

Today, I received an email, which is an eye-opener. I am reproducing that email here:

Please have a reading of the undergiven discussion and give your input.

DO WE REALIZE
THAT WE ALL ARE MURDERERS? 

During the past few days some incidents of “SUICIDE” have come to the knowledge of all of us. 

Incident 1

A rickshaw driver in Karachi gave poison to all his family members including children of just few years of age and his wife.  He also took poison himself and died.  His children also died and his wife was in serious condition (God knows whether she survived or not). 

Reasons

Media told that this incident happened due to financial reasons.

Incident 2

In another incident a person committed suicide in Lahore . 

Reasons

Media told that this incident happened due to financial reasons. 

Back ground of the DISCUSSION

I personally got very much disturbed on these incidents as these were due to financial reasons. These days I get opportunity of having lunch with “highly educated” and “highly cultured” group of senior bankers of NBP.  These are all at least Senior Vice Presidents.  

I normally do not participate in there discussions during the lunch as these discussions are very much informal, and resultantly very much vulgar. 

But last day I could not refrain myself when a TV channel discussed these incidents during our lunch time in presence of all above mentioned senior professionals. 

Discussion during the lunch

After the half an hour of their effort to satisfy their appetite of extreme vulgar talk, I interrupted them and drew their attention towards the above mentioned 2 incidents. 

My views

I shared with them that I am very much ashamed of the happening of these incidents and being the part of this society, I feel myself proportionately responsible for happening of such incidents.  I said that I want to put my efforts to stop such incidents but I alone cannot create a difference but if we all (Pakistanis) put some effort to extend financial and moral support to such people around us who are living in extreme poor financial conditions, these incidents can be minimized.

Others’ views

Those learned people surprisingly went against me and said that financial conditions in our country are not that bad that one can attempt suicide. There are many organizations like Edhy and Silani Welfares from where one can have one’s meals for as many days as one wishes.  

They also told me that there were a lot of beggars in the country but no beggar does suicide. 

The most surprising thing which they added was that in fact these people did suicide not because of financial reasons but they must had been mentally retarded or suffering from Psychological problems.

One of the participants said that he had intense feelings to punish that father who killed his sons.  He is
the murderer of his sons.  If he had to commit suicide, he could do it without killing his sons.  His sons could be taken care by Edhy. He added that he desires Allah give that father another short life so that he could be punished for what he did. 

One of the participants told that as he gives Zakat, he fulfills his 100% financial liability towards the society. 

My response

I told them that I am too of the view that the father of the children is murderer of his children but at the same time we all are murderers of not only his sons but also of the father. 

Every one of us, being the part of this society if not legally but definitely on moral grounds is the murderer of all that family. I was told that if I feel this, I may be murderer but all others are not murderers, more over I should accept if some one requires me to give the same statement before the Police.  I told them that I am always ready to repeat my statement in front of any institution, organization or authority of my country. 

I also added that I feel sorry that the participants could only find this discussion to be the means of their
amusement but no one realized any responsibility. 

I also told them that the person who is not even ashamed of such incidents and does not feel that he has also contributed to such murders is in fact a greater killer. 

I also addressed them and told that all of you live in centrally air conditioned houses.  Load shedding does not affect you as you all have such generators at your homes, which run the air conditions as well. You just get up from such houses and come to office in luxurious cars with your drivers. Your offices are also air conditioned. Your servants purchase all the eatables of daily use and many of you do not take pain to know the prices of the purchases. 

For an instance just change the scenario if you are deprived of your assets and your job is also lost and you remain job less for 6 months I bet many of you will become mentally retarded.  

The most important factor of Mental illness is stress and stress of financial problems is the greatest. 

I also told them that Zakat is the minimum what we have to give, we should also give all which is in excess of our needs and surprisingly there is no end to our needs today. 

They said that they are not responsible but only the system is responsible.  I told them that as long as they will blame the system, the system will not be changed. If they realize their responsibility, the system will automatically change. 

I also added that yes beggars do not commit suicide and those who go to Edhy or other such organizations do not commit suicide due to non availability of food.  But at the same time there is a large part of our society which has self esteem and does not want to beg.  This part of society is the target of the evil of suicide.  Hence we have to try to find out such people. 

MY CONCLUSION

I am responsible for such suicides as I am the part of this society.  Under no law I can be convicted in this world but there is also a world after this one and that is the real world. I am sure that I shall be answerable in the world hereafter.  My responsibility is not 100% but I am proportionately responsible and all others are also responsible in the same manner. 

We should look around to find out such people who do not demand anything but are unable to get both ends meet and should help them financially and morally to what ever extent we deem possible. 

I am also shocked to know the thoughts of our educated people.  If our thinking remains same no one can
save us from complete disaster.  I believe that even God does not help such nations what ever be the religion of the nation. 

Regards,