Zubair Qureshi
Citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Monday visited the Marghazar Zoo braving chilly winds and rain to bid farewell to Kaavan, friend of the children and wish him safe journey to Cambodia’s sanctuary for elephants.
A musical concert was organized on the occasion while children took part in a painting competition to draw Kaavan’s pictures and to express their gratitude to the animal who cheered up their life all these days.
Adviser to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Awan was the chief guest at the ceremony to bid farewell to Kaavan. He was accompanied by the Chairman of the IWMB Syed Mujtaba Hussain and senior officials of the MOCC. Malik Amin expressed his pleasure that finally Kaavan’s plight was coming to an end and the international and the local partners were making joint efforts for its safe relocation.
Sri Lanka had gifted Kaavan to Pakistan 35 years ago,” he said. Another female elephant had come with him but she died years ago. The international media raised awareness about Kaavan’s condition, he said.
He commended the efforts of Four Paws, Global Animals Rights Organization for making efforts to relocate Kaavan and take care of its health and fitness. Kaavan is leaving Pakistan for good on Sunday, Nov 29 for elephants’ sanctuary in Cambodia to raise a family and to live a normal life.
For the civil society and the animal rights activists who have been struggling for his relocation, it was like a dream come true and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judgment earlier this year was seen as a milestone achieved in that struggle.
To bid farewell to Kaavan, the Islamabad zoo was adorned all over with balloons and banners reading ‘We will miss you, Kaavan’ and ‘Bon Voyage.’ The soul-stirring performance by the local bands and performers Haroon, Natasha Baig, Khumaariyan, Arieb Azhar and Momina Mustehsan turned the event into a colourful gala.
Four Paws International, the global animal welfare organization in collaboration with another animals’ rights group, Free the Wild has raised funds for the translocation of the elephant from Pakistan to the Cambodia. Kaavan’s plight attracted the international attention when the local and the international animals’ rights activists launched an online petition that was signed and supported by animals’ rights associations across the world.
Among his fans, Cher, the world-famed singer has been quite vocal calling upon the government of Pakistan and the animal rights activists to play their role in the release of the poor animal and thus end his ordeal. She is arriving in Islamabad on Nov 27 saying it will be a life-time experience of her life to see Kaavan flying to Cambodia.
Director of Four Paws International Dr Amir Khalil speaking on the occasion thanked the Pakistani people, the government and the animals rights activists for their support in this cause. “All the arrangements have been made, a Russian plane has been chartered that will land at Rawalpindi’s military (Chaklala Airport) in the morning of November 29, the same evening Kaavan will depart the Marghazar Zoo at 3:00 P.M. in VIP protocol paying his last regard to the city where he was brought as a child elephant from Sri Lanka in 1985. Kaavan was brought up into a young elephant at the same Marghazar Zoo. Here he had a female companion Saheli who later died of gangrene in 2012.
“Now at the age of 36, Kaavan is leaving for yet another home where ‘three female companions are waiting for him to raise a family,’ said Dr Amir Khalil.
