KARACHI, June 6: A man doused himself with petrol, put a match to himself and ran towards the main gate of the Karachi Press Club as a fireball on Wednesday afternoon.

Aghast at the scene, people around desperately tried to put out the flames, but by the time they did so, it was too late — the man had burnt himself critically.

What compelled Khalid Mehboob, a resident of Manzoor Colony and father of six, to resort to self-immolation was his inability to repay a debt he owed to a loan shark.

Artillery Maidan police station ASP Usman Bajwa said the man set himself on fire somewhere near Sidco Avenue and ran towards the KPC, where police and some people tried to put out the fire.

Groups of people were already present outside the club seeking to draw the media’s attention towards their various issues.

He was rushed to the Civil Hospital Karachi’s burns ward, where he was admitted for treatment. However, doctors described his condition as critical. Quoting doctors, ASP Bajwa said the victim had suffered 95 per cent burns.

The inquiry officer of the case, Anwar Ali Bhutto, said the victim lived in Sector A of Manzoor Colony.

A few years ago, he had borrowed Rs52,000 from an individual at a high rate of interest, which gradually swelled to Rs350,000, the officer said.

Khalid had worked as a labourer in Dubai till a few years back before returning to Pakistan. With his saving from the Gulf state and the loan, here he started his own business, which did not work.

He was unable to repay the amount and the moneylender had finally begun pressing the debtor to vacate his home in return for the loan, the inquiry officer said.

The eldest of his six children is a 13-year-old girl, police said.

“Joblessness and mounting pressure to repay the loan drove him to take this extreme step,” the inquiry officer remarked.