MUZAFFARGARH: Police responded to a desperate call for help from a man at emergency 15 who told about hunger his family was going through for the last two days, warning of committing suicide.

The call was made by Bashir Ahmed, a resident of village Sargani, tehsil Karor Lal Esan.

A daily labourer by profession, he was jobless for long. Inflation had made the conditions worse for him. He told police that he, his wife and four children had nothing to eat for the last two days.

On getting information about the call, Layyah DPO Asadur Rehman called Bashir back and did his counselling. In the morning, the DPO reached Bashir’s house in the village Sargani along with his team and food items enough for the man’s family for the coming weeks. He also gave Bashir cash.

The DPO was accompanied by Inspector Muhammad Idris Khan, the SHO of Karor Police Station.

Talking to the media, the DPO said it was the first time such a call was received at 15 where a citizen said that his children were hungry for the last two days and they were dying of hunger.

Later in a video message, the DPO said when he called Bashir, he was told by the jobless man that he wanted to end his life due to financial constraints.

“I asked him to be patient, telling him that we (police) would come to his home to help him.”

The DPO said he counselled Bashir and requested him not to take any such step as would put the lives of his children and wife in danger. He appealed to the well-to-do people to remain aware of the issues of the people around them.

Later in a video clip, Bashir told a YouTuber that the items of daily use that the DPO had given him must be worth about Rs60,000 to Rs70,000.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2023