Suicide has emerged as the fourth leading cause of death among young people in Pakistan, with an estimated 50-55 suicides occurring daily.
Alarmingly, 70% of the victims are young individuals aged between 15 and 29 years. WHO estimates that for every suicide, there are at least 10 to 20 acts of self-harm, suggesting there may be between 140,000 and 300,000 instances of self-harm annually in the country.
Globally, suicide claims 700,000 lives each year, and it ranks as Pakistan’s fourth most common cause of death, according to Dr. Nasim Chaudhry, CEO of the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) and a psychiatrist. She noted that PILL is taking several steps to address this crisis, including reporting suicide cases and collecting critical data on the issue.
Dr. Syed Usman Hamdani, Founding Director of the Global Institute of Human Development at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University (GIHD-STMU), highlighted factors contributing to the rise in suicides among young people, such as academic pressure, family conflicts, lack of economic opportunities, cyberbullying, excessive social media use, and substance abuse.
Experts emphasize the urgent need for high-quality, representative studies to better understand the mental health challenges facing Pakistani youth, identify the underlying causes, and develop targeted interventions and policies to promote a healthier, happier, and more prosperous future for the nation’s young population.
