Pakistani floods victim dies after setting himself alight outside prime minister’s home

Pakistani floods victim dies after self-immolation

MULTAN, Pakistan — A Pakistani flood victim who set himself alight outside the prime minister’s home died Monday, police said.

Police official Hasan Bukhsh said Mohammad Akram died in a hospital in the eastern city of Multan.

He had doused himself with petrol and set fire to himself on Sunday outside a house belonging to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in Multan.

Bukush said Akram shouted he was jobless and sick of his life before he torched himself.

He said the 30-year-old security guard lost his home in the floods. He is survived by his wife and five children.

The prime minister later expressed condolences to the family by phone and said they would get 500,000 rupees ($5,900) compensation, a statement from his office said.

Pakistan’s government has been severely criticized for its response to this summer’s floods, which have affected 20 million people and damaged or destroyed more than 1.8 million homes.