Pushed to the edge by poverty, a man in Alipur Tehsil in Pakistan’s Muzaffargarh District murdered his wife and seven children, ARY News reported.

Sajjad Khokhar committed the heinous crime in Alipur, the authorities were cited as saying in the report published on Thursday. The police spokesperson stated that the victims of this tragedy were identified as 40-year-old Kausar, along with her children: 8-year-old Ansa, 7-year-old Kanza, 5-year-old Ramsha, 4-year-old Shehnaz, 3-year-old Anas, 2-year-old Subhan, and 4-month-old Manza.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has urged for a report from the top authorities.

In a separate incident, a man in Karachi resorted to poisoning his wife and children in Karachi’s Sujrani Town Sector-10.

Rescue sources confirmed Azhar’s suicide attempt following the poisoning, prompting a swift response from rescue teams. Rushed to the hospital, the family faced an agonising battle for survival. Tragically, a two-year-old girl succumbed to the poisoning, while medical professionals fought valiantly to save the remaining family members.

Neighbours recounted the struggles of the family that dwelt in a rented abode. Azhar, once employed in a factory, found himself unemployed and relentless efforts to secure another job and sustain his family’s livelihood, repeated failures plunged him into despair, culminating in this dire act, ARY News reported.