LAHORE March 9, 2009: (PCP) At least 141 people committed suicide in the country in one month ending February 25 according to statistics available with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and published in its monthly journal. Of those committing suicide between 26th January and 25th February, 104 individuals were male and the rest female. Thirty-five people, including a 12-year-old boy, committed suicide over their failure to find employment or on account of poverty. Fifty-five people took their own lives by consuming poison, insecticide or various chemicals, 29 used firearms, while 28 hanged themselves. Two unidentified men died on February 19 after they had set themselves on fire in protest against excessive utility bills. The youngest person to commit suicide was a 10-year-old and the oldest was 70. The age of the victims could not be ascertained in many cases. At least 59 incidents of attempted suicide were reported during the same period. Over the corresponding period the previous month, at least 138 people – 98 men and 40 women – had committed and 78 had attempted suicide.