An 18-year-old Afghan boy named Nabiullah set himself on fire on his father’s grave and died in hospital in the in Takhar province, in Northern Afghanistan.

Officer Fazil Ahmad Danishjo, director of the crime investigation department of Takhar Commanding Security, told PAN that the boy had gone to his brother’s shop the day before, took 100 Afghanis from him and bought petrol with it and then set himself on fire on his father’s grave.
Based on the figures given by the Ibn-e Sina Emergency Hospital in Kabul more than 600 incidents of suicide attempts have been referred to this hospital during the past 12 months. Vice-chairman of the hospital, Dr. Nasim Hamdard said they receive around ten victims each week who have tried to commit self-murder.
Quqnoos, March 26, 2009

Danishjo says that the local people called the police and the police took him to the hospital for treatment.

Dr. Jawad, director of Provincial Hospital of Takhar, says that Nabiullah had been burned severely and died in the hospital the night before. He added that 90% of his body had been burnt and his treatment was very difficult.

The police said that according to the investigations, the reason for the suicide were his mental pressures but doctors say that no evidence of his tensions have been seen till now.

Mohammad Ibrahim Fayaz, spokesperson of Education Administration of Takhar said that Nabiullah was a student of the 8th grade in Maulawi Abdul Wadud Shahid High School.

Fayaz says that according to information given to him Nabiullah was the youngest one in his family and had lost his father in recent years but his elder brothers stopped him from going to school and forced him to do a job.

Fayaz said that it is possible that the economic and family problems were causes of the boy’s self-immolation.

He condemned this act and said families should encourage students to study and establish a strong studying environment for them.

Zaidullah Paiwand, director of the Human Rights Commission in the North-east Zone said that although the real reason for the suicide is not known, but according to information, poverty and educational and working limitations may have been the causes.

Despite that, Zaidullah said whatever the reasons the boys should not have committed suicide as it is a very bad act.

In Islam, suicide is unlawful and banned and the person who commits suicide will go to Hell.

According to the information of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), in 2008-09 more than 2000 cases of violence, including murder, suicide, self-immolation and rape have been recorded throughout the country.