Rawalpindi, Pakistan – A tragic incident has shocked the community as a man from Rawalpindi reportedly died by suicide after facing immense pressure and threats from loan apps. Mohammad Masood, a 42-year-old unemployed man, had taken loans totaling Rs800,000 from two different mobile apps. According to Masood’s wife, who preferred to remain anonymous, her husband had lost his job six months ago, which made it difficult for the family to meet their financial obligations, such as paying their children’s school fees and rent.
Masood initially borrowed Rs13,000 from the EasyLoan app, but due to high-interest rates, the debt quickly escalated to Rs100,000 within a few days. To repay this loan, Masood turned to the Bharosa app and borrowed additional funds, which eventually reached Rs700,000 in just a few weeks.
The loan apps allegedly kept increasing the interest rates, and their representatives constantly harassed and threatened Masood and his family. They made daily calls, intimidating the family with police action if the loan repayment was delayed. The relentless pressure and threats took a toll on Masood, leading him to take the tragic step of ending his own life.
Masood’s brother, Muzammil Husain, filed a report at the Race Course police station to inform them about the suicide. He expressed concern for Masood’s two children, who are now left without support. Husain also highlighted his sister-in-law’s demand on social media for action to be taken against such exploitative loan apps.
The police are investigating the case under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which pertains to inquiries in cases of suicide. The Race Course Station House Officer (SHO), Muzammil Khan, confirmed that a report had been filed. However, the family has not yet submitted a written application to formally complain about the threats.
The police have requested a forensic analysis of Masood’s mobile phone and are awaiting a report from the Punjab Forensic Science Lab to determine the cause of death. The family has provided the police with the contact numbers of the individuals representing the lending apps, who were responsible for the harassment.
In response to this tragic incident, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated an inquiry into both loan applications. The FIA Cyber Crime Wing Additional Director, Chaudhry Abdul Rauf, stated that a team from the agency visited Masood’s residence, collected information about the app’s representatives, and confiscated Masood’s mobile phone for forensic analysis. The FIA will investigate the threats made to Masood and gather evidence related to the loans and repayment.
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This distressing incident sheds light on the urgent need for regulation and oversight of loan apps to protect vulnerable individuals from harassment and exploitation. The government and relevant authorities must take swift action to ensure the safety and well-being of citizens and to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
