Anger in Pakistan as authorities employ cull tactics against Karachi's stray dogs

A dog walks on Clifton Beach, Karachi, Pakistan on August, 14 2003. (AFP / File photo)
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Updated 22 July 2020
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Anger in Pakistan as authorities employ cull tactics against Karachi's stray dogs

  • Officials estimate thousands of stray dogs culled so far in citywide operation
  • Up to 5,000 people die each year of rabies in Pakistan, hospital representatives say 

KARACHI: Last Tuesday, Dr. Naseem Salahuddin, the head of the Rabies Free Pakistan (RFP) project, woke up to discover that months of work put in by her team to vaccinate and neuter stray dogs in Karachi had been summarily wasted. 
Overnight, municipal authorities in an upscale neighborhood in southern Karachi had killed at least 50 strays Salahuddin’s team had treated. And this was not the first time this had happened. 
Authorities estimate the citywide operation has so far culled thousands of dogs but do not have a full count for all six districts that make up Karachi city. 
“You work from dawn to dusk, put in your best effort, spend time and resources and they kill the dogs without any reason — it’s like being stabbed in the back,” said Salahuddin, who heads RFP, a project of Karachi’s Indus Hospital.
The periodic culling of dogs by shooting or using poison tablets hidden in food is common in Pakistan and has unnerved both animal rights activists and citizens, but officials in Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, say it is necessary because packs of wild strays pose a threat to residents. 
In Pakistan, up to 5,000 people die each year of rabies, according to infectious disease experts. Anti-rabies vaccines, mostly imported from neighboring India, seem to be in perennial short supply at Karachi hospitals. 




A stray dog walks past auto-rickshaws parked alongside a street during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 7, 2020. (AFP /File photo)

Rabies is a neglected disease in Pakistan, with scant data available, although the cases of dog bites are rising, doctors and officials said. 
Around 150 patients come to Karachi hospitals daily with dog bites, doctors said. Last June, the Sindh health department said there were almost 70,000 dog bite cases reported between the months of January and May. Indus Hospital treated over 7,000 cases of dog bites last year and said it had already treated 4,000 cases this year. Dr. Seemin Jamali, executive director of Jinnah Hospital, the largest health facility in Sindh, said the hospital had treated 6,000 patients for dog bites between January and July.
Street animals, particularly dogs, are often a part of the urban landscape in developing countries like Pakistan. In Karachi, a megacity of over 15 million, it is common to see strays lurking in public parks, guarding street corners and howling in neighborhoods at night. Joggers say they have to carry stick to pry dogs away, and cyclists keep stones in their pockets to throw at chasers. 
Malik Fayyaz, the chairman of the district municipal council in southern Karachi, confirmed that authorities were killing, as well as sterilizing, dogs due to a rising number of complaints from residents. 
He said a vaccination and spaying project the council had started in collaboration with Indus Hospital had stalled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and culling strays was thus currently the only option. 
Another program launched last year in Karachi’s district central, the largest municipal cooperation in the city, had also stalled. 
Rehan Hashmi, the central district council chairman, said dogs had to be taken off the streets even if that meant euthanizing them. Authorities would stop killing dogs, he added, if there was a program that could vaccinate and spay “100 percent stray dogs.” 
“Saving a human life is more important than saving the life of a dog,” Hashmi said.
In August 2016, the district council of south Karachi killed 800 stray dogs, pushing lawyer Muhammad Asad Iftikhar to file a petition in the Sindh High Court. Last December, the court finally directed authorities to stop culling animals and instead to neuter and vaccinate them. But cull tactics continue. 




A stray dog rests on a street as people line up maintaining social distancing to buy groceries from a governmental subsidised shop during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 8, 2020. ( AFP/ File Photo )

Last month, the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation (ACF), which has recused and neutered over 6,000 stray animals in Karachi in the last seven years, filed a petition in the Sindh High Court after hundreds of dogs the organization had vaccinated and spayed were found dead. Many of the dogs were given poisoned food, the Foundation said, and were found with their legs tied to other dogs so they could not run away or seek help as the venom took effect. 
The ACF petition, which is yet to be heard in court, seeks a uniform policy by the government to curb the spread of rabies and contain rising stray populations in Sindh instead of sentencing dogs to death. 
In Pakistan, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890 was amended in January 2018 to include fines and punishments for animal abuse. The law does not provide a ‘holistic approach’ toward animal welfare, rights activists say, and needs to be replaced with new legislation recognizing animals as sentient beings that need protection and care.
Indeed, animal welfare advocates say Pakistan has never made a priority of pushing responsible animal control policies, including spaying and neutering, which would have helped avoid the current problems.
“Killing dogs is not only inhumane but ineffective also,” said Aftab Gauhar, a project manager at RFP, which operates across Karachi and has vaccinated nearly 24,000 dogs, and neutered and spayed over 3,500 since 2018. He said rising dog populations and rabies infections could be tackled with sterilization, mass vaccination drives and community engagement to teach people how to behave around strays. 
There are currently a number of charities in Karachi who cruise the city treating sick dogs and taking healthy ones to shelters for vaccinations and sterilizations before depositing them back exactly where they were found: on the streets. 
Ayesha Chundrigar, who founded ACF, said strelization could lead to a 50 percent fall in the number of strays within a year. 
“Stray dogs should be neutered and left to live in their natural habitats, which are the streets,” she said. 
In an emotional video message posted online last month after hundreds of ACF rescues were found dead, Chundrigar said: 
“We [ACF] are about to complete seven years next month. It has really been a hard seven years. We feel grieved. We have no success to show. Because all of our success stories are dead.”
She added: “We can’t take it anymore. They [municipal authorities] win. We’ve fallen apart, trying like absolute fools in this lawless city of millions. Can’t do it anymore. We’re tired and hopeless.”
But speaking to Arab News, the animal welfare advocate said she was hopeful concerned citizens and civil society groups would help lead to change.
“People are now realizing that we have been very cruelly treating animals in this country,” she added. “I believe that change will occur.”


UK announces £108 million to support Pakistani businesses tackle climate change

Updated 23 November 2024
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UK announces £108 million to support Pakistani businesses tackle climate change

  • Funds will help businesses develop climate technologies, support Pakistan’s private sector
  • UK government says program will support the creation of over 100,000 Pakistani jobs

ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom (UK) government this week announced £108 million in funds to support Pakistani businesses adapt to climate challenges, saying that it would help them develop technologies and meet significant investments required to tackle climate threats.
The announcement was made at the culmination of the two-day visit by British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer to Islamabad on Friday.
The British government said the funding will support a first-of-its-kind investment facility to deliver climate technologies and private sector support in Pakistan. The program will be delivered in partnership with the International Finance Corporation.
“The UK and Pakistan are committed to tackling tomorrow’s threats today,” Falconer was quoted as saying by the British government on Friday. 
“That’s why we’re investing in the expertise needed and supporting local businesses, alongside the Government of Pakistan, to get ahead of the challenges that climate change poses to the Pakistani people and the world.”
According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan is among the countries most at risk from climate change. The 2022 floods, which experts linked to global warming, impacted over 33 million people, resulted in more than 1,700 deaths and caused an estimated $33 billion in damages.
Pakistan’s economic struggles and high debt burden put a strain on its resources and impinged its ability to respond to the disaster.
Pakistan has also been grappling with increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, including droughts, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall. This year, the country experienced its heaviest April rainfall since 1961, with 59.3 millimeters recorded. Additionally, several regions faced severe heatwaves in May and June.
“The program will leverage the £108m the UK puts in to mobilize 5-6 times that amount of investment from the private sector and will support the creation of over 100,000 Pakistani jobs,” the British government said on its official website. 
Pakistan and the UK enjoy strong military, economic and educational ties, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora.
Recent high-level visits by military leaders from both countries have signalled a deepening of defense ties and cooperation. The strong relationship is built on a shared history and the significant presence of a Pakistani diaspora in the country.


Cannot allow Islamabad protest, Pakistan interior minister tells ex-PM Khan’s party

Updated 23 November 2024
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Cannot allow Islamabad protest, Pakistan interior minister tells ex-PM Khan’s party

  • Jailed Imran Khan’s party has called for “long march” to Islamabad on Nov. 24 to demand his release
  • Pakistani authorities block roads, seal off motorways ahead of opposition’s Islamabad protest

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday discussed the prevailing political situation in the country with former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, warning him that the government will not allow the party to stage a protest sit-in or rally in the capital.
Thousands of Khan supporters are expected to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday for a “long march” to the capital. The PTI’s march is primarily aimed at pressurizing the government to end the jailed Khan’s imprisonment, which has lasted for over a year, on what his party contends are politically motivated charges. 
The party also aims to raise its voice against alleged rigging in the Feb. 8 general elections while calling for measures to ensure judicial independence, which it says has been undermined by the 26th constitutional amendment. The government denies this. 
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the government to form a committee to hold discussions with the PTI. The court said that if no breakthrough was reached between the two parties, then the government would be responsible for maintaining law and order. It said that in that case, “no protest or rally or for that matter sit-in shall be allowed.”
“Mohsin Naqvi informed Barrister Gohar about the post-Islamabad High Court order situation,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. “He said we are bound by the high court’s order and cannot permit any procession, sit-in or rally.”
The minister informed the PTI chairman about the engagements of the 80-member high-level delegation accompanying the president of Belarus, who will be in Islamabad from Nov. 24-27. 
“Barrister Gohar said he will inform the Interior Minister about the final response after party consultation,” the state media said. 
MOTORWAYS, MAJOR ARTERIES SEALED
Pakistan’s National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) said on Friday that motorways across the country leading to Islamabad have been sealed from various areas to protect people’s lives ahead of the PTI’s planned protest. 
Authorities sealed off major arteries and roads with shipping containers leading to Islamabad from the surrounding Rawalpindi city, including at the Faizabad terminal, and other areas on Friday. 
In a notification released on Friday, the NHMP cited intelligence reports that protesters were planning to disrupt law and order in the capital, adding that they would be armed with sticks and slingshots. 
“To prevent any untoward situation and to protect the lives of the people, motorways have been closed from various locations,” the NHMP said.
“The lives and property of the people will be guaranteed at all costs. Those who take the law into their hands will be dealt with strictly.”
Hours earlier on Friday, the NHMP had shared a notification on social media platform X in which it had said that certain sections of the motorway were closed due to maintenance work. These sections were: M-1 Islamabad to Peshawar, M-2 Islamabad to Lahore, M-3 Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, M-4 Pindi Bhattian to Multan, M-14 Hakla to Yarik and M-11 Lahore to Sialkot. 
As per local media reports, the Metro Bus service between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be suspended on Nov. 24 while a ban on public gatherings has been imposed in Punjab from Nov. 23-25 ahead of the PTI’s march. 
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s interior ministry had authorized the deployment of paramilitary Punjab Rangers and Frontier Corps troops in Islamabad to maintain law and order.
Pakistan’s parliament also passed a law earlier this year to regulate public gatherings in Islamabad, specifying timings for rallies and designating specific areas. The law prescribes three-year jail terms for participants in illegal assemblies and 10-year imprisonment for repeat offenders.


Cop among two killed in separate IED blasts in northwestern Pakistan

Updated 23 November 2024
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Cop among two killed in separate IED blasts in northwestern Pakistan

  • No group has so far claimed responsibility for blasts which took place in Bajaur tribal district
  • Seventy-five police personnel have been killed, 113 injured in militant attacks in KP this year

PESHAWAR: A police constable and a civilian were killed in separate Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, police said, as Islamabad struggles to contain surging militancy in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
The IED blasts took place in the northwestern Bajaur tribal district on Saturday morning, killing one cop and a civilian.
As per official data, 75 police personnel have been killed and 113 injured in militant attacks and targeted assassinations in KP province this year.
“Both blasts were reported in the premises of Loi Mamund police station earlier today,” Bajaur Police spokesperson Muhammad Israr told Arab News.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts so far.
“An IED was placed in front of the policeman’s house which detonated when he was leaving home for duty at around 9:30 am in Mena village of Loi Mamund,” Israr added.
He said the other blast took place around 8:00 am in Irab village, also located within the vicinity of Loi Mamund police station, in which one person was killed.
Israr said police have started investigating both incidents.
Pakistan blames the surge in militancy in KP province, which borders Afghanistan, on the Pakistani Taliban militants that it alleges have found safe havens in Afghanistan.
Kabul denies the allegations and urges Pakistan to resolve its security challenges on its own. Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since November 2022 when a fragile truce between the Pakistani state and the Pakistani Taliban broke down.


Death toll from sectarian clashes in Pakistan’s Kurram district surges to 54

Updated 23 November 2024
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Death toll from sectarian clashes in Pakistan’s Kurram district surges to 54

  • Sectarian clashes since Thursday have wounded at least 86 in Kurram, says hospital official
  • KP Chief Minister sends high-level delegation to Kurram district to assess security situation

ISLAMABAD: The death toll from sectarian clashes in the northwestern Pakistani tribal district of Kurram rose to 54 on Saturday, a senior hospital official said, as fear grips the restive area days after an attack killed members of the Shiite minority.
Forty-one people were killed on Thursday when gunmen opened fire on vehicles carrying members of the minority Shiite community in the Kurram tribal district.
The assault, one of the deadliest attacks in recent years in the area, took place in the district where sectarian clashes have killed dozens of people in recent months. As per various media reports, clashes continued until Saturday, leaving more people deal in the district.
“So far, we have received almost 54 dead and another 86 wounded from the clashes,” Dr. Mir Hassan Jan, medical superintendent at the district headquarters hospital in Parachinar, one of Kurram’s main towns, told Arab News.
“In addition, we have referred 16 seriously wounded to Peshawar who were in critical condition,” he added.
Dr. Jan said bodies had been brought to the hospital since Thursday, forcing him to instruct all medics at the hospital to remain on duty around the clock.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a week after authorities reopened a key highway in the region that had been closed for weeks following deadly clashes.
Previous clashes in July and September killed dozens of people and ended only after a tribal council called for a ceasefire.
Shop owners in Parachinar announced a three-day strike on Friday to protest the attack while locals described an atmosphere of fear across the district following the incident.
Separately, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur sent a high-level delegation comprising provincial Law Minister Advocate Aftab Alam, KP chief secretary, commissioner Kohat Division and deputy inspector general (DIG) of the Kohat division to Kurram to assess the situation there.
The delegation would take members of the local jirga, or tribal council, into confidence and attempt to restore law and order in the area, said Hashim Khan, media officer to the KP law minister.
“After the visit, the delegation will submit a detailed report to the chief minister,” Khan told Arab News.
“The provincial government will then comprehensive measures to control the situation in Kurram with the input of tribal elders.”
‘TRANSPARENT INQUIRY’
Separately, mourners on Saturday demanded the government hold a transparent inquiry into the incident.
“A transparent inquiry of this incident should be carried out,” Hayat Abbas Najafi, one of the mourners, told Reuters in Parachinar.
“We call on the government as well as security institutions that Parchinar, which is a great part of Pakistan, should be saved from sectarianism and should be provided safety and security.”
Sajjad Hussain, another mourner, said among those killed were infants as young as six months old and women. 
“They were innocent passengers. What was their fault,” he asked.

With inputs from Reuters


UAE promotes Arab culture and cuisine at three-day festival in Karachi 

Updated 23 November 2024
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UAE promotes Arab culture and cuisine at three-day festival in Karachi 

  • UAE consulate in Karachi kicks off celebrations ahead of nation’s National Day 
  • UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners and major source of remittances

KARACHI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Consul General in Karachi this week paid a visit to promote several stalls selling Arab cuisine and highlighting Arab culture at a three-day festival in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, ahead of the Gulf nation’s National Day. 
Sindh’s Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah inaugurated the three-day Sindh Craft Festival on Friday which showcases traditional shawls, quilts, handlooms, and caps made by artists from all over Sindh at Karachi’s famous Port Grand entertainment hub. 
UAE Consul General Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al Rumaithi visited the festival on Friday to highlight Arab cuisine and review stalls promoting Arab culture at the festival. The UAE consulate is gearing up for celebrations to mark the nation’s 53rd National Day on Dec. 2.
“Various stalls have been set up at Port Grand keeping in mind Arab culture,” the UAE Consulate in Karachi said in a statement on Friday. 

Sindh’s Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah (2L) inaugurates three-day Sindh Craft Festival during an event to mark the UAE’s 53rd National Day in Karachi on November 22, 2024. (Photo courtesy: UAE Consulate Karachi)

Al Rumaithi noted that women, children and the elderly were all taking part in the three-day cultural festival. 
“We have a centuries-old relationship with Pakistan which is strengthening,” he observed. 

UAE Consul General Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al Rumaithi (5R) cuts the cake to celebrate the UAE’s 53rd National Day in Karachi on November 22, 2024. (Photo courtesy: UAE Consulate Karachi)

The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners and a major source of foreign investment, valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE ministry of foreign affairs. The UAE-Pakistan trade volume rose to $7.9 billion in 2023, up 12 percent from 2022. 
In May this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Emirates had committed $10 billion to invest in promising economic sectors in Pakistan. The Pakistan Business Council (PBC), set up this September at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also aims to increase Pakistan’s bilateral trade volume with the UAE to $40 billion in three years.
The UAE is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates and the second-largest source of remittances to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia.