RAWALPINDI: For more than a month, Shahid Iqbal’s grieving family has been waiting for his body after he committed suicide in Saudi Arabia due to financial difficulties.

“Shahid Iqbal, father of four, was earning between Rs300 and Rs400 daily as a driver for a pick and drop service before he decided to go abroad for a better life,” Zahid Iqbal, his brother and a resident of Kahuta, told Dawn.

He said his brother had left for Al-Abwa city of Saudi Arabia about three months ago. On reaching there, he was not happy as he was not paid the salary promised by travel agents who had recruited him for the job in the kingdom.

“Shahid was in distress when he talked to me on the phone for the last time on July 31 at 2am,” Zahid said. “He told me to take care of his children ‘in his absence’ and inquired about the health of our ailing parents while talking in a choked voice.”

“I did not know that he was going to kill himself as I told him to calm down and that everybody was fine at home,” Zahid said. “Later in the day, I was shocked when Shahid’s colleagues told me on the phone that he had committed suicide by hanging himself in his room where he was alone.”

Zahid said they had contacted government officials to bring Shahid’s body from Saudi Arabia, but no one was cooperating with them.

A large number of people have been visiting the family to condole the tragic death of Shahid.

Zahid said his brother had gone to Saudi Arabia after paying Rs250,000 to travel agents who promised a salary of 1,200 Saudi riyals per month, but his salary turned out to be 700 riyals.

Meanwhile, taking notice of Shahid’s suicide, the Federal Investigation Agency has swung into action and arrested three travel agents who had arranged his travel and job in Saudi Arabia.

Mazharul Haq Kakakhail, deputy director of the FIA, said a case had been registered against five travel agents on the complaint of Zahid, who had accused them of exploiting his brother.

The official said that three of the travel agents — Mohammad Khaliq, Rahmat Hussain and Mohammad Shiraz — had been arrested for preparing a fake agreement showing higher wages which resulted in dejection felt by Shahid and finally led to his suicide.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2016