Three 'commit suicide' over loan repayment.

OKARA -- Three members of a family, including a newly married couple, allegedly consumed poison for being unable to pay a loan borrowed for a wedding.

Two months ago, 20-year-old Waqas, a daily-wage labourer, had got married to 19-year-old Naheed Akhtar in Mohalla Ghauspur of Basirpur Town for which his father, labourer Nazar Muhammad, had borrowed Rs150,000. But they were unable to pay it back as they were out of work due to the lockdown after the coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday night, Waqas allegedly took poisonous pills and also gave them to his wife Naheed and brother Ashfaq. As the parents and other family members found out, all three were shifted to a local hospital in Basirpur where Waqas and Naheed died, while Ashfaq was shifted by Rescue 1122 to the Dipalpur THQ Hospital where he also died.

However, District Police Officer Umer...