The Interplay of Social Policy and Suicide in Gilgit-Baltistan Region: What Went Wrong?

Abstract

Suicide has emerged as a serious social issue in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) due to consistently rising suicidal thoughts and actions among young people. However, suicidal behaviours remained an under-researched subject in Pakistan. Consequently, the growing suicidal inclination in the Gilgit-Baltistan region has not yet received the due consideration of policy analysts and social scientists in general. Meanwhile, suicide has emerged as a leading cause of death among youth and a major public health issue signifying serious problems in the socio-cultural system of the country. The current research explores the socio-economic factors prompting individuals to commit suicide. Furthermore, the study asks what role the GB government and other stakeholders of social policy are playing in understanding and eliminating the tendency of suicidal ideation. The research was conducted in the Ghizer district using qualitative research methodology. Case study data were collected using in-depth interviews with suicide survivors and friends, parents and family members of those who committed suicide. The findings of this research reveal that forced marriages, educational pressures, financial crises, family conflicts and societal restrictions are the leading causes of the mounting suicides in the region. The government was unable to formulate a specific social policy to comprehend the causes of suicides in the area, nor did it make any substantial intervention to end this endemic trend. Finally, the study suggests that there is a dire need to conduct culture-specific research on this vital issue to grasp the grassroots understanding in order to formulate successful policy interventions.