The tragic death of fifth-semester Pharm-D student Awais Sultan at the University of Lahore has brought renewed focus to the severe mental health challenges faced by students across Pakistani universities. On 19 December 2025, Awais fell from the third floor of a campus building, an incident widely reported by the media as a suicide linked to academic pressure and personal struggles.
University students, particularly in Pakistan, grapple with multifaceted stressors: relentless academic demands, familial expectations, financial burdens, and on-campus issues such as inflexible rules and inadequate support. Students are often treated as a business rather than being nurtured in many institutions, where attendance and grades are stressed more than student well-being. Academic success has often been synonymous with personal value and even future stability in the eyes of the family, and financial difficulties can make things harder, particularly for students from lower-income backgrounds who have to depend on loans or part-time employment.
The state of mental health among university students worldwide is alarmingly poor. Suicidal thoughts have been reported in approximately 20–33 percent of students, with 4–5 percent attempting suicide at least once in their lifetime, according to numerous cohorts based on the World Mental Health International College Student initiative. A general worldwide survey of more than 8.7 million students identified mild depression in 35 percent, severe depression in 13 percent, and high levels of anxiety (40 percent mild) and stress.
In most countries, suicide is the second or third leading cause of death among young adults aged 15–29, and the World Health Organization has declared this a significant public health issue. Post-pandemic surveys, such as the Healthy Minds Study 2024–2025, show persistently elevated distress, though some declines in severe depression have been observed (from 23 percent in 2022 to 18 percent in 2025).
No student should have the belief that failure in exams is synonymous with failure in life
The factors that aggravate the crisis in Pakistan include stigma, underreporting, and lack of resources. A report by Dawn about World Suicide Prevention Day (11 September 2024) cites data provided by the WHO and states that in 2019, the suicide rate was 7.3 per 100,000 people, whereas in 2020 and 2022, this figure was 8.9 and 9.8, respectively. In 2019–2020, 2,295 suicides were reported, of which 61.9 percent were among males. Rural regions accounted for 12 percent of suicidal ideation. Professionals observed that 40 percent of these were burn cases, which were often associated with domestic and academic despair.
To add to this is the lack of effective mechanisms within the education system. Most higher educational institutions do not have specific mental health services, counsellors, or crisis plans. The Higher Education Commission has guidelines, but implementation is patchy. Stigma discourages help-seeking, and access is deplorable, with just an estimated 0.19 psychiatrists per 100,000 individuals. Decriminalising attempted suicide in recent years is a step forward, but awareness and infrastructure remain low.
The outrage following Awais’ loss demands swift policy revisions and a renewed focus on student well-being. School and university-based programmes, teacher training, peer support, early identification of at-risk students, and accessible counselling are the recommendations that experts promote. Broader interventions involve mental health literacy in academia, national helplines, and addressing socioeconomic roots such as poverty.
The young population in Pakistan, which is more than 60 percent below the age of 30, represents massive potential that uncontrolled mental health disasters threaten to waste. Critical integrated interventions should take place. Families should encourage open communication, institutions should focus on well-being over fixed indicators, and policymakers should devote funds to prevention. No student should have the belief that failure in exams is synonymous with failure in life. Sympathy, support, and systemic change can prevent future tragedies.
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