"It is likely that in the coming weeks and months we may see an increase in the number of suicides and self-harm acts in the country," Dr Murad Moosa Khan, Professor Emeritus, Aga Khan University has said.

Khan, who has been monitoring reports of suicide in Pakistan, and especially observing the present trends, finds the present situation “very worrisome”.

In a conversation with Zofeen T. Ebrahim, Khan said: "There have been a number of reports in newspapers that appear to show suicides taking place as a direct result of Covid-19. At the moment this is the only data we have. We will need to analyse it to see if there was a spike in the number of cases during the pandemic.

"However, previous public health emergencies support the concern of increase in suicides after the pandemic.

"So it is likely that in the coming weeks and months we may see an increase in the number of suicides and self-harm acts in the country."

Read the full interview here.