ISLAMABAD — A young Afghan refugee woman died by suicide early Sunday morning in Islamabad, according to multiple sources familiar with the case.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. in the Gulberg Green neighborhood, where the woman, identified as 20-year-old Farhat, reportedly jumped from the fifth floor of her residential building.
Farhat, originally from Paghman district in Kabul province, had been living in Pakistan for more than four years while awaiting the outcome of her humanitarian visa application for Australia. A source close to the family told Amu that she had faced significant psychological stress and uncertainty during her prolonged wait for resettlement.
The precise circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear. Her body was transferred to Islamabad’s forensic department for further examination. One source said she had experienced mental health challenges, though this has not been officially confirmed.
The case comes amid growing concern over the mental health of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, particularly those facing long delays in resettlement or struggling with economic hardship and legal uncertainty.
In recent months, two other Afghan asylum seekers reportedly died by suicide in Islamabad and Peshawar after their applications for resettlement to the United States and Canada were denied.
Hundreds of Afghan journalists, civil society activists, and former government employees remain in legal limbo in Pakistan, many living in precarious conditions while awaiting third-country processing of their refugee cases.
