Actor Ayesha Omar has spoken out about Pakistan’s need for stronger mental health support, following a disturbing case in Peshawar involving the desecration of graves belonging to young girls.
Police in Peshawar recently arrested a 19-year-old Afghan national accused of digging up a girl’s grave in the Shaikhan area. Investigators say the suspect may have disturbed several other graves as well, and the case remains under investigation.
Reacting to the news on social media, Omar said the incident reflected a much larger problem: the lack of accessible mental health care across the country. She wrote that people across Pakistan, herself included, needed psychological support, citing her own experiences with trauma and stress.
The actor went further, suggesting that therapy and counselling should be a mandatory part of schools, colleges and workplaces, rather than relying only on financial assistance during difficult times. She stressed that trained mental health professionals should be made available to the public at large.
This is not the first time Omar has addressed mental health publicly. She has previously spoken about dealing with overthinking, stress and emotional trust issues, describing healing as a continuous process rather than something that happens overnight.
Her latest comments have reignited public discussion in Pakistan about the availability of psychological services and whether institutions are doing enough to support people’s emotional wellbeing.
