SUICIDE

Pakistani engineer’s suicide shocks expat community

ALKHOBAR: The suspected suicide on Friday of a middle-aged Pakistani civil engineer has shocked the Eastern Province expatriate community.

Pakistani community elders described Faqir Hussain as a well-qualified, good natured and pious man. He was in his mid-40s and was a graduate of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Lahore.

The reason behind Hussain’s decision to take his own life is unclear and is under investigation. A family man, he was a father of three sons, two of whom are pursuing higher studies in Pakistan. The third is enrolled in a local school.

Hussain’s wife is a homemaker and, according to those who are in touch with her, is in a state of extreme shock. Hussain and his family have been in the Kingdom for more than seven years and have a large circle of friends.

The Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh is closely following the case and Welfare Counselor Dr. Kazim Niaz told Arab News that it would extend all possible help to the family.

The embassy’s legal representative in Alkhobar, Abdul Ghaffar, told Arab News that Hussain was an employee of Al-Tuwairqi Holding Co.

“An authorized Al-Tuwairqi employee, Ayub Qureshi, informed us on Tuesday that Hussain had inflicted grievous injuries himself with a sharp-edged knife on Friday immediately after noon prayers. He was rushed to the government hospital in Alkhobar where doctors described his condition as critical because of massive bleeding. A couple of hours later he died,” said Abdul Ghaffar. “This is what the Al-Tuwairqi employee told me,” he clarified.

The body was later moved to the morgue in Dammam Central Hospital.

Alkhobar police are investigating the case but have not issued any official statement so far. They are in touch with the deceased man’s employers.

Alkhobar is home to a large number of Pakistani expatriates. According to unofficial estimates, of the 1.5 million Pakistanis in the Kingdom, nearly 350,000 of them are in the Eastern Province.

One particular district in Alkhobar surrounding the Pakistan International School is described as mini-Pakistan and Hussain and his family lived in the area near Apna Bazaar.