Staff Report

HYDERABAD: A father of seven children, who had committed self immolation on international Labourer Day in protest against nonpayment of salary, died of his wounds late on Monday in Hyderabad civil hospital, SAMAA reports.

Abdul Razzaq Ansari, 45 and father of six daughters and a son, ended his life on the May Day by dousing him with petrol and setting ablaze outside Badin press club in front of dozens of onlooker in protest since he was unemployed and not paid three-month salary by the local sugar mill where he had served.

His wife and daughters were also present and cried seeing the man immolating.

The same day, Pakistan's Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani announced to raise minimum salary of labourers by Rs 1000 to 7000 and also vowed to raise the existing grant for labourers' deaths.

Television footage showed Ansari engulfed in flames as people tried to put the fire out.

He was rushed to Badin Civil Hospital but it had no facilities to treat the burn patient, therefore, he was shifted to Hyderabad civil hospital.

Medics said he had up to 50 per cent burns on his body, which later proved fatal and Ansari died of his wounds late on Monday.

Reports say Ansari had been faced with starvation because he had been unemployed for so long and his salary was also blocked by the sugar mill.

Badin, a small city of Sindh and hometown of National Assembly Speaker, Fahmida Mirza, mourned his death, closing down shops and main markets. -- SAMAA