KARACHI, Aug 19: Increasing suicide rate in the country indicates that the prevalence of mental disorders in Pakistan is rising sharply. This was observed by Dr Murad Moosa Khan of the Aga Khan University at the inaugural ceremony of a psychiatric care and rehabilitation centre here on Thursday.

The centre has been established by Karwan-i-Hayat, a not-for-profit organization, in collaboration with the Karachi Port Trust. On the occasion, Dr Khan said more than 3,000 suicides were reported in Pakistan last year, and the number of suicides recorded in Karachi alone stood at 186.

He was of the opinion that due to several sociological and religious reasons many suicide cases went unreported. "So, for every suicide that is reported, there are many more which are never recorded," said Dr Khan.

"Similarly, for every suicide there are between 10 and 20 unsuccessful attempts at suicide." He claimed that though there were a few psychiatric care units in the city, but there was no rehabilitation centre, making the new unit first such facility.

Speaking as chief guest, KPT chairman Vice-Admiral Ahmed Hayat said his organization, which had been working for more than two decades, would support the centre wholeheartedly. Masrur Ahmed, the president of Karwan-i-Hayat, pointed out that the buildings housing the new centre had been donated by the KPT.

Saleemuddin Ahmed, the director of Karwan-i-Hayat, said the outpatient department of the new unit would start functioning from Friday, and "by the first quarter of next year, the whole psychiatric care and rehabilitation centre would be made operational."

Later, while talking to Dawn, Mr Ahmed said the rundown buildings donated by the KPT had been renovated, refashioned and equipped at a total cost of Rs3.5 million, which was raised largely through donations.