Salima Mansoor Kerai.
Trends and predictors of suicides in Pakistan.
Pak J Med Res Jan ;56(4):108-9.

A seven years review from Pakistan showed that there are approximately 119 suicide cases with 2000-4000 deliberate self-harm cases reported every year.9 Police records of the country suggests that the trend of suicide has increased in last 15 years (1985-1999); the lowest number cases 90 in 1987 and maximum 360 cases in 1999, with organophosphate poisoning most commonly used method followed by hanging to cause self-harm. Pakistan has one of the highest reported figures of suicide amongst muslim majority countries in the world while incidence of suicide is lower as compared to western countries; as Islam condemns suicide-declaring it a major sin. This anamoly of higher rates of suicide in Pakistan can be attributable to but not limited to socio-economic determinents such as hopelessness, violence, social exclusion, marginalization of minorities, injustice and inequities in distribution of resources, lack of economic opportunities and social security, lack of institutional scaffolding for health and education, rising religious conservatism, instability in political and state operated institutions, unplanned growth, rapid urbanization leaving no room for arts and culture including lack of recreational and public spaces and expression.

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