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Growing Trend of Suicide among Christian women in Pakistan

Terrorism, extreme poverty, price hike, unemployment and many other social and economic problems have been affecting people of all sections of life. However, if a person is from the weaker groups of the society, especially religious minorities, faces even double discrimination -- as a poor person who belongs to religious minority, reports Ashfaq Fateh, special to ASSIST News Service.

The women in Pakistan are the most affected by the problems in their day to day life. A drastic trend of committing suicide among Christian women in Pakistan is increasing.

The following story of Razia Bibi from Sahiwal reflects the plight of Christian women in Pakistan.

Razia Bibi 38 has five children, three boys and two daughters. The eldest son is nine years old and the youngest girl three years old. Ajmal Masih, her husband has a rickshaw (a mini taxi that carries three to four passengers). Razia has been working as a domestic worker in a rich family to meet the both ends meet of the family. Razia had a dream to send her children to school; however, her husband had not been cooperating and spends his most of his time and earning in gambling and drinking.

Sharief Masih, a relative told, “Razia was a faithful women and working very hard to feed the children. She was burdened to fill the needs of the family and husband. She was living under extreme pressure as she had been struggling to beat the poor economic conditions of the family. Constant pressure led her to commit suicide and she attempted to kill her children but they were saved.

Martha Bibi, a close relative told, “On June 26, 2010 evening, Razia Bibi ate poisonous tablets and gave some to her children too. She died on the spot however children were saved.”

Ms. Rafia Salomi deputy director, Society for Human Development has been working for women empowerment expressed her grave concerns over the situation. She said, “The present social set up in Pakistan makes women venerable and lack of economic stability leads to these sorts of incidents. The recent incident shows family values are breaking up. The Church, civil society and government needs to initiate programs that could bring change for women.”

Atif Jamil Pagaan, Cetranl Chairman, Pakistan Minorities Democratic Movement & Executive Director Harmony Foundation said, “The suicide trend among Christian women one after the other is an indication that women think the best medium of protest is to loose their lives even making it collective suicide.( giving the same to their children). There is need to work on two grounds, to start a movement to strengthen the faith of the women and social reforms to be initiated.

“Since the media is highlighting the issues of women, they must also telecast follow up stories of the affected families. So public may come to know what sort of life is lived by the children and family. When messes will come to know how family suffers, it will help to stop the trend of committing suicide.”

Note: On Friday 25, 2010, a Christian nurse in Lahore injected poison to her four children who died on the spot. She injected herself but saved in hospital. Her husband was a police constable.

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TAGS: Pakistan terrorism poverty persecution religious minorities discrimination suicide Christian women

[06/29/2010]

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