Sunday, September 21, 2008
By Saadia Khalid
ISLAMABAD: During the protest at the Parade Avenue against the killing of five women in Naseerabad and the American imperialism, a person named Safdar Ali attempted to commit suicide.
The protesters became panicky when all of a sudden Ali came out of the crowd and poured petrol over himself. However, media persons and members of civil society present on the occasion successfully stopped him from proceeding any further.
While talking to The News, Safdar Ali said that he was employed by the Civil Aviation, Lahore, some years ago when he went on leave for three days for being seriously ill. “On my return, the officers expelled me from the job,” he said. Since the last three years, Ali said he was running from pillar to post in order to get his job restored but all his efforts had been in vain.
“I have eight daughters and two sons but I am unable to feed my family due to unemployment,” he said.