Zubair Qureshi
The US celebrity and internationally renowned singer Cher called on Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday and thanked the Pakistani government’s efforts and approval for relocation of Kaavan from Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo to Cambodia’s elephants’ sanctuary. Kaavan is set to leave the country on Sunday (tomorrow) after spending 35 years in the Marghazar Zoo. Cher will be accompanying the animal and according to her this is going to be a life time experience for her.
It is Cher who first raised voice for the plight of Kaavan who was kept in chains for some time in the zoo after his female companion Saheli died in 2012. After Cher’s call there began international efforts for relocation of the animal.
PM Khan appreciated Cher’s efforts in helping Kaavan retire to an elephant sanctuary and thanked her. Singer, actress and television personality, Cher was once referred to by the media as the “Goddess of Pop”. She is said to be an embodiment of female autonomy in a male-dominated industry.
Another important person, daughter of the former military ruler and President of Pakistan, Gen Ziaul Haq also drew the media attention when she visited the Islamabad Marghazar Zoo, to see her ‘baby elephant’ the 5-ton heavy Kaavan off to Cambodia.
He was only one year old when he was brought to the Marghazar Zoo as a gift by the then Lankan government for the daughter of Ziaul Haq, Zain Zia who took a fancy to the baby elephant during a state visit to Colombo by her father. She was accompanying her father in that visit. Zain Zia’s visit to Marghazar Zoo turned out to be an emotional rendez-vous between the two as she had very fond memories of Kaavan the baby.
Though both Zain and Kaavan somewhat advanced in age, yet she felt the same association with the animal and bade him farewell by offering him a few sugarcanes and uttering words of compassion and love for the animal bound for an Asian elephants’ sanctuary in Cambodia.
On Friday, the zoo administration opened the gates for the general public to have the last look at their buddy and wave him goodbye. One could see a number of mothers telling their children how they used to come in their childhood to see and enjoy the company of the elephant.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was told on Friday, Kaavan’s date for departure was now fixed and the elephant will be leaving the country in a chartered plane on Nov 29 (tomorrow).
Four Paws Director of Project Dr Amir Khalil appeared before the court and informed that all the arrangements have been made and funds raised for this purpose. Chief Justice Athar Minallah thanked the vet who has been in Pakistan since Aug 22 for the efforts made for relocation of the elephant.
The court was further told that two brown bears at Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo would also be shifted to a sanctuary in Jordan after Kaavan’s departure.
Dr Amir Khalil informed the court that a pair of bears would be shifted to Jordan by December 6, six days after Kavaan’s departure to a Cambodia sanctuary. He invited the chief justice to attend a ceremony to be held on November 29 to bid adieu to the pachyderm.
Justice Minallah to an invitation by Dr Amir Khalil to attend a farewell for Kaavan declined saying a judge’s duty is to give a judgment, which the court had already done in the case. The hearing was adjourned until Dec 21.
