Yesterday, Rushaan Farrukh, a student of Beaconhouse National University allegedly committed suicide.

The Punjab Police is yet to say anything on the matter (Ofcourse)

Her friends and family have also gone on social media to ask people to take down posts talking of their beloved committing this grave “sinful” act, including ProperGaanda. It could be because of “Log kia kahin gai” or maybe reality just pains them that maybe they didn’t know their daughter/best friend as much as they thought they did or maybe it just makes them sad. Whatever the reason, we are no one to judge.

However though, nobody has the right to stop anyone else from having an opinion. I remember many years ago a Lums student committed suicide and the first reaction the institution and his friends had was to bury the news. Same happened when few years ago again at Lums, when a student died of Drug Overdose. The Logic is still the same – Not talking about it won’t help!!

Say someone is raped for example, now agreed suicide and rape two very different things but the basic argument about speaking up remains the same. When we teach our daughters and children to not talk about wheather they have been harrased or raped that not only let the drooling predators scot-free but also creates a culture where anything that slightly discomforts us is just shunned into the oblivion, and so is the solution.

Same goes for suicide, depression is real, suicide is real. It’s happening, and quite realistically someone you might know might be next. Not talking about it isn’t going to help anyone nor is it going to respect the Girl’s memory.
Today you were aloof, you couldn’t help her. But tomorrow awaits you, and the price to remain aloof and binded by draconian traditions is another dead kid. Talking about it isn’t the problem, not talking about it enough definitely is.