“For far too long, mental healthcare and the associated, necessary reforms have been neglected in Pakistan. This is not just a public healthcare disaster but also a gross violation of human rights of a highly vulnerable segment, which, according to some estimates, may comprise up to 25 per cent of our population. Pakistan has no mental health policy or plan; it allocates no budget for mental healthcare; even after repealing the Lunacy Act of 1912 and the devolution of powers, no province has been able to implement an iota of its mental health legislation since the passage of the 18th Amendment.”

Mental health reforms. Dawn. 3rd December 2018.

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“With a staggering population growth rate of 2.4 per cent, Pakistan has the second-largest young population in the world. Every fourth Pakistani today is between the ages of 10 and 19 years. Pakistan’s National Human Development Report, 2018, defines the youth as a critical force “which will prove to be either a dividend or a disaster” for the country. Clearly, this human force needs to be in a state of well-being in which they realise their potential; can cope with the normal stresses of life; can work productively; and are able to make meaningful contributions to their community. This is also how WHO defines ‘mental health’.”

A teenage dream. Dawn. 8th October 2018.

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“The foremost right of the mentally ill is access to treatment. In Pakistan, psychiatrists are not just few and far between, they are also concentrated in urban clusters. At best, districts have one or two specialists. It is not uncommon for a family to travel from Balochistan to Karachi, or from the Northern Areas to Islamabad, to seek medical help. A family can spend thousands of rupees on travel for a single consultation. Given the skewed ratio of patients to specialists, consultations are brief, expensive and long awaited. More often than not, there are serious questions about the scientific and ethical aspects of mental health practices in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic skills.”

Human rights & mental health. Dawn. 18th September 2018.

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“For countries like Pakistan, economic growth is understandably a necessary prerogative. There is a large body of scientific evidence to confirm the significant association between mental health and economic indices. Citizens with poor mental health struggle to avail employment opportunities and make progressive choices, both paramount for human development. Mental health problems constitute an enormous economic burden for individuals and societies. For Pakistan, it is estimated that the overall cost of mental disorders in Pakistan is well over Rs250 billion per annum. This includes the economic cost of lost productivity.”

Development & mental health. Dawn. 20th August 2018.

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“At the moment, Pakistan does not have forensic psychiatry services — a specialised branch of psychiatry that provides assessment and treatment of offenders with mental illness in prisons, secure hospitals and the community. Such psychiatric expertise is routinely required to assist criminal justice proceedings to certify cases presenting with an insanity defence (those pleading insanity at the time of the offence) or the fitness of a prisoner to stand trial or undergo a sentence. Of late, a few high-profile cases have highlighted the need for psychiatrists as expert witnesses, as well as for concerted efforts that can plug the gaps in forensic mental healthcare.”

Prisoners or patients. Dawn. 28th April 2018.

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“Unfortunately, the stigma attached to mental disorders discourages, and often delays, seeking help. Healthcare professionals also often overlook and fall short of detecting and managing common mental disorders in the elderly. Healthcare professionals involved in primary care need to be trained to promptly detect and manage common physical and mental disorders. Great care needs to be taken to curb practices that involve the prescription of unnecessary drugs, or the perpetuation of polypharmacy among the elderly. Doctors need to be better trained to manage challenging behaviours through simple psychological interventions, counselling skills, informational and supportive care.”

Supporting Seniors. Dawn. 16th March 2018.

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“Survivors of childhood sexual abuse struggle with strong emotional reactions like anger, betrayal, helplessness, depression, fear, confusion, shame and guilt. Many describe feeling ‘unworthy’ and ‘dirty’ and suffer from poor self-esteem. Many continue to endure their grief with remarkable resilience. But some face interpersonal challenges; difficulties forming healthy sexual relationships; social dysfunction; and are at a much higher risk of mental disorders including depressive illness, self-harm and substance abuse.”

Stealing childhoods. Dawn. 13th Feb 2018.

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