Rawalpindi, May 13 -- Soaring inflation in Pakistan has pushed funeral and burial expenses beyond the reach of many families in Rawalpindi, exposing a deepening humanitarian crisis where even burying loved ones has become financially overwhelming. Low-income households are increasingly falling into debt simply to perform basic funeral rites, as reported by The Express Tribune.

According to The Express Tribune, for decades, local communities in Rawalpindi upheld a tradition in which volunteers dug graves free of charge as an act of charity and religious service. However, this long-standing social practice has nearly disappeared, replaced by commercialised burial arrangements and strict cemetery regulations.

The city's graveyards are also...