ISLAMABAD: Iconic singer and actress Cher was set to visit Pakistan on Friday to celebrate the departure of Kaavan, dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant,” who will soon leave a Pakistani zoo for better conditions after years of lobbying by animal rights groups and activists.
Because of security concerns, Cher’s schedule was not made public but “she is on her way,” said Martin Bauer of Four Paws International, a Vienna-based animal welfare group that’s led the charge to save Kaavan.
The elephant has languished in the zoo for 35 years, and lost his partner in 2012. He was diagnosed by veterinarians as both overweight and malnourished earlier this year, and also suffers behavioral issues. He’s set to leave for a sanctuary in Cambodia on Sunday.
Cher took up Kaavan’s cause and has been a loud voice advocating for his resettlement. Four Paws, which often carries out animal rescue missions, has provided the medical treatment needed before Kaavan can travel. The battle for his relocation began in 2016.
“Thanks to Cher, but also local Pakistani activists, Kaavan’s fate made headlines around the world, and this contributed to the facilitation of his transfer,” Bauer told The Associated Press on Friday.
Even after he’s in Cambodia, he’ll require years of physical and even psychological assistance, Bauer said.
Because of the abysmal living conditions blamed on systemic negligence, Pakistan’s high court in May ordered the closure of Marghazar Zoo in the capital of Islamabad, where Kaavan has lived for much of his life.
A medical examination in September showed Kaavan’s nails were cracked and overgrown — the result of years of living in an improper enclosure with flooring that damaged his feet.
The elephant has also developed stereotypical behavior, shaking his head back and forth for hours, which the medical team of wildlife veterinarians and experts blamed on his utter boredom.
For the past three months, a Four Paws team including veterinarian Dr. Amil Khalil and the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board has been readying Kaavan to leave. Members of the welfare group will also accompany him to the sanctuary.
Bauer lauded the powerful impact celebrity voices can have for animal rights.
“Celebrities lending their voices to good causes are always welcomed, as they help starting public discourse and raising pressure on responsible authorities,” he said.
“Around the globe there are animal lovers, famous and not famous, and the support of every single one of them is crucial,” he added.
Cher to visit Pakistan to help ‘world’s loneliest elephant’
https://arab.news/j2gq7
Cher to visit Pakistan to help ‘world’s loneliest elephant’
- Kaavan has languished in the Islamabad zoo for 35 years and lost his partner in 2012
- Cher has campaigned for years for the elephant’s better treatment and freedom
Pakistan opposition to hold protest today over jailed ex-PM Khan’s deteriorating eye condition
- A court-appointed lawyer this week visited Imran Khan at prison and recommended independent ophthalmology review of his right eye
- Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Khan party’s narrative has ‘fallen flat on its face’ after ex-PM voiced ‘satisfaction’ with facilities
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s opposition alliance has announced a sit-in outside the Parliament House in Islamabad today, Friday, over jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s deteriorating eye condition, following a rare prison visit by a Supreme Court-appointed lawyer this week.
Barrister Salman Safdar, who was appointed ‘amicus curiae,’ or friend of the court, visited Khan at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Feb. 10 and filed a detailed report on his living conditions and health, which was made public on Thursday.
The report stated that in view of the seriousness of Khan’s ocular condition, “it is imperative that the seriousness of the condition be independently ascertained without delay.” There was no immediate response from prison authorities on the findings.
The Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan opposition alliance late Thursday demanded that Khan be transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital and announced a sit-in outside parliament until the former prime minister is allowed treatment in the presence of his personal physicians.
“The sit-in will be held tomorrow,” Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the head of the opposition alliance, told reporters in Islamabad, adding that they will peacefully lay down all demands at the sit-in. “If, God forbids, something happens, then the government will be responsible for that.”
Khan, 73, has been in custody since August 2023 in connection with multiple cases that he and his party describe as politically motivated. The government denies the allegation.
Concerns about Khan’s health have resurfaced in recent weeks after authorities confirmed he had been briefly taken from prison to a hospital in Islamabad for an eye procedure. The government said at the time his condition was stable, while Khan’s family and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party complained they had not been informed in advance and alleged he was being denied timely and independent medical access.
The issue was then taken up by the Supreme Court earlier this week, which tasked Safdar, who has represented Khan in the past, with visiting the ex-premier and submitting a written report.
According to a medical condition report from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), dated Feb. 6, 2026 and referenced in Safdar’s court filing, Khan was diagnosed with “right central retinal vein occlusion” after reporting reduced vision in his right eye.
The report states that he underwent anti-VEGF intravitreal injection treatment at PIMS and was discharged with follow-up advice.
However, in his interaction with Safdar, Khan said he had experienced “rapid and substantial loss of vision over the preceding three months” and claimed his complaints had not been addressed promptly while in custody. He further stated that despite treatment, he had been left with “only 15 percent vision in his right eye.”
Safdar’s report notes that the former premier appeared “visibly perturbed and deeply distressed by the loss of vision and the absence of timely and specialized medical intervention.” The amicus also recommended that the Supreme Court consider directing involvement of Khan’s personal physicians or other specialists of his choice, warning that “any further delay poses a serious risk to the Petitioner’s well-being.”
Beyond medical concerns, the report addressed Khan’s confinement conditions, noting that he expressed “satisfaction regarding his safety and security within the cell-block,” as well as contentment with basic amenities and food provisions.
Responding to the report, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar rejected claims of mistreatment, saying the “narrative being propagated to international media” by Khan’s family had “fallen flat on its face.”
He said the prison report on Khan’s daily routine and diet had removed any ambiguity and maintained that all facilities were available to the former premier, who he said enjoyed privileges “more than any other prisoner.” His X post did not address the allegations on Khan’s health issues.
