BAHAWALPUR NEWS

Black stone has become a major facilitator in the suicides

BAHAWALPUR(By Our Staff Reporter)Black stone has become a major facilitator in the suicides being committed by women commonly due to financial difficulties, domestic disputes and poverty.

Despite a ban on its sale, black stone is sold in the market. It is used for hair-dyeing and henna purpose. Unfortunately, for the last few decades, it has also gained the reputation as the cheapest poison for committing suicide. Locally known as Kala Pathar, the toxic substance is used for suicidal and homicidal deaths.

As many as 703 people had ingested the solution of black stone in 2016 and out of them 150 could not survive and lost their lives in Bahawal Victoria Hospital. In the first 9 months of the current year, the number has been increased to 1,042 out of which 128 lost their lives.

According to Nishtar Hospital data, 594 people were brought to the hospital in the first seven months of 2017 for treatment after they drank liquid spiked with the chemical.

South Punjab is in the grip of a new wave of honour killing nowadays through Kala Pathar. In southern Punjab increasing number of suicides are reported.

Financial difficulties, domestic disputes, intolerance, poverty, free will marriages, and divorces provoke the people to commit suicide while the practice is increasing in women, girls, and children.

According to a study, mostly women had used the fatal chemical to end their lives due to domestic frustration. Majority of the women belongs to middle and lower classes.

As many as 135 people including women had killed themselves by consuming black stone during first three months of the ongoing year (2017) in Multan region.

When a person ingests the black stone solution his throat gets blocked and its treatment is also very dangerous as to restore the breathing of the patient; a hole has to be made in the neck for treatment. A little dose of paraffin causes complete failure of lung functioning within 20 minutes. It is sold at grocery shops and can be very harmful. The chemical could be bought on cheapest price of Rs10.

Government’s negligence has become the biggest reason for the suicidal death. A strict ban should be imposed on its sale.

Political Activist Nausheen Qureshi said that if the government solves the financial difficulties of the women, increasing number of suicide can be avoided or reduced.

Another political activist Shahla Ehsan said that in southern Punjab unemployment is increasing rapidly which has promoted the trend of suicide among women while illiteracy is also a reason for suicide. Rabia Malik said that the government should take practical steps to ensure the ban on the sale of poison openly and protect the rights of women.

Provision of education to all is the government’s top priority:Rana Mashhood Ahmad

BAHAWALPUR/LODHRAN(PR)Punjab Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said that the provision of education to all is the government’s top priority.

A thorough plan of action has been prepared for the best purposeful education so that future targets could be achieved on time, he said while addressing a meeting he held with the schools education officials of Bahawalpur Division

The provincial minister directed the education officials to take all the necessary steps to achieve the targets of the education roadmap policy. He said, “Not a single child be out of school throughout the province because nation’s future is linked with them and their best education is our responsibility.”

Provincial Secretary Schools Education Dr Allah Bakhsh said while addressing the meeting said that the target of children’s enrollment in schools along with the promotion of quality education is the basic part of the Education Road Map. He added in each District Education Authority with thorough plan of action to increase the rate of admissions in school and to spread the light of education in every corner Pakistan Education Authority is playing its role.

Addressing with the inauguration ceremony of Technical Teachers Training Laboratory at Government Girls High School Lodhran, he said, that teachers are the nation builders and that exemplary status and respect will be given to them in the society.

He said that Government of Punjab appointed 220,000 educators throughout the province and all the teachers are being trained from lowest level to the highest level. He said while paying tribute to the teachers awarded by CM Punjab that they will be equipped with the international standard training. He announced to reward them on their good performance with the extra one month’s salary. On the demand of Headmistress provincial minister announced the construction of 12 more rooms in the Girls High School.