Let the animals live
WHILE the Islamic Republic on Saturday celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan – a month that comes with an abundance of forgiveness, blessings and mercy, it was on the same day in Karachi, Noor Jehan, the ailing elephant breathed her last. The news is both depressing and heartbreaking, to say the least, but definitely not surprising. The 17-year-old pachyderm had initially been diagnosed with “an inner haematoma with a damaged pelvic diaphragm” – a testimony to the very poor living conditions of her and many like her in the Karachi Zoo and those around the country.
Amidst the poor animal’s treatment by the Four Paws team, the four-legged mammal fell into a pond in the small enclosure where she had been held captive. Here she lay for almost 11 hours before being rescued. The otherwise strong animal was unable to get back up on her feet by herself – cranes and ropes were used. Before passing away on Saturday last week, Noor Jehan endured pain, distress and trauma. While the fall in the pond added to her pain, her captivity in conditions sad-to-look-at is something that not only not reflects the teachings of the holy month that has just passed but also not those of our holy book, the Qur’an — which teaches and preaches quite the opposite.
It is unfortunate and sad that the abuse of animals is not an issue that is given any consideration in a society that otherwise claims to be tolerant, compassionate and embodying the teachings of Islam. In a country where human beings lack basic necessities, the well-being of animals is not even an afterthought. Outside Pakistan, many campaigns have come forth to end the practice of breeding and keeping wild animals in captivity just for the viewing pleasures of humans – a life sacrificed for a few moments of joy… a dee-prooted sadistic feeling which is concerning and questionable in itself. The lack of understanding that animals deserve to enjoy a safe, natural habitat to which their bodies are attuned in the year 2023 is mind-boggling – the idea to enclose these beautiful beings in tiny compounds is equally disturbing.
As mentioned earlier, in a country that struggles on all ends, the understanding of animal welfare is something often laughed at in many important quarters. While the rest of the world has shifted its focus on the cruelty of breeding animals, Pakistanis, in general, seem either unaware and/or uninterested. In a country that learns of mercy and compassion from childhood and reinforces the learnings during the month of Ramadan year after year, “service animals” like donkeys and horses endure all sorts of violence for not being able to carry enough load or simply not being fast enough. Chained monkeys and goats, saddled horses and camels and cart-laden donkeys are used and abused on a daily basis. This happens under the umbrella of ‘entertainment’ for a nation of insensitive viewers, users and abusers.
Just when you think things could not have been any worse for the animals of our beloved country, the very worst of fates is saved for dogs – known for their loyalty in the rest of the world and a curse in our part. The root of viewing them as a curse is often anchored in religious beliefs as the innocent beings are believed to sway away blessings and angels regardless of their positive mention in sacred scriptures. Every day dogs are treated worse than sane-human-imagination.
A nation that claims to be pure needs to be a nation that understands that treating God’s creation with disrespect and a lack of empathy is nothing but a reflection of an absence of good character. A nation that is proud of ensuring that the speechless lives of these animals are a living hell is a nation that may never be destined to be what it truly claims to be: pure. At this point, the sane treatment of animals is something that needs to be taken up at the national level. As rightfully mentioned in the article by Rafia Zakaria, having good morals is not a zero-sum game. This means that being kind to animals does not have to mean that less kindness is left over for human beings but rather it is completely possible for good human beings to be kind and empathetic to their own kind and animals.
Pakistan can barely upkeep its own people, and hence the Karachi Zoo, and those around the country must be shut down immediately. Recent reports suggest that Sri Lanka has decided to “gift” Pakistan two elephants right after the passing of Noor Jehan. If it is true and the State accepts Sri Lanka’s goodwill gesture, lo and behold there is nothing more ignorant that the government of this country can do. It is high time that we close down such facilities so that it is no longer possible to let animals suffer because of a lack of basic necessities and the unkind and negligent behaviour of us, Pakistanis. The animals that are currently present must be sent to sanctuaries that are able to house them and give them the life they deserve. A case in point is Kaavan, whose miserable life here ended when he was taken to a sanctuary in Cambodia.
While the situation in Pakistan is sad, grim and depressing, Foundations and NGOs like the Animal Care Foundation (ACF) in Karachi run by Ayesha Chundrigar provide some hope and some light at the end of a very long tunnel. In the end, it is important to bear in mind that kindness and compassion do not take much… if anything these attributes fill you up with contentment. May Noor Jehan rest in peace, may her fellow animals find a way out and may we become just a little bit kinder to one another and to those a bit different from us … Eid Mubarak!
—The writer is contributing for national press, based in Islamabad.
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