Karachi’s Syrian brown bear to get bigger cage after social media spotlight

A 20-year-old Syrian brown bear, Ranoo, seen in a cage at the Karachi Zoo, Karachi, Pakistan, on January 27, 2021 (AN Photo)
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Updated 29 January 2021
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Karachi’s Syrian brown bear to get bigger cage after social media spotlight

  • Pakistan has been in the spotlight in recent months over the mistreatment of animals at various zoos in the country
  • A court ordered the local administration to provide Ranoo a bigger space, environment similar to natural habitat

KARACHI: Ranoo, a 20-year-old Syrian brown bear at the Karachi Zoo, will soon get a bigger cage, an official at the city’s metropolitan corporation said on Wednesday, a day after a high court ordered the local administration to provide the animal an environment similar to its natural habitat.




A 20-year-old Syrian brown bear, Ranoo, seen in a cage at the Karachi Zoo, Karachi, Pakistan, on January 27, 2021 (AN Photo)

Pakistan has been in the spotlight in recent months over its treatment of animals at various zoos in the country. Earlier this month, authorities in Karachi said Malka, a female elephant at a safari park in the city, had a painful winter rash, which experts said indicated dehydration and a lack of adequate food and medical attention.
Last year, the “world’s loneliest elephant,” Kaavan, was rescued from a life of misery in Islamabad Zoo and sent to a sanctuary in Cambodia, and two Himalayan brown bears, Suzie and Bubloo, were airlifted to a wildlife park in Jordan.
“A large new cage which will have a small pond and air-conditioned space will be built at the cost of Rs2.9 million,” Ali Hassan Sajid, a spokesperson for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) told Arab News, saying the zoo administration would create a natural environment for the bear as directed by the court.
He said authorities were already in the process of floating a construction tender to build a facility that would measure 45-by-35 feet.




A 20-year-old Syrian brown bear, Ranoo, seen in a cage at the Karachi Zoo, Karachi, Pakistan, on January 27, 2021 (AN Photo)

About 40 petitioners moved the Sindh High Court last October after a video of Ranoo, in which social media users said she looked “exhausted,” went viral.

The petitioners said the bear was forcibly separated from its family, saying it should be moved to Pakistan’s northern region since it needed a cooler environment to survive.




A 20-year-old Syrian brown bear, Ranoo, seen in a cage at the Karachi Zoo, Karachi, Pakistan, on January 27, 2021 (AN Photo)

Barrister Mohsin Shahwani, the counsel of the petitioners, told Arab News a two-member bench of the Sindh High Court had also expressed its displeasure with authorities for not complying with a previous order to provide a larger space to the bear.


Chinese giant Hoymiles enters Pakistani market to provide high-tech energy storage solutions

Updated 05 January 2026
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Chinese giant Hoymiles enters Pakistani market to provide high-tech energy storage solutions

  • The development comes after Pakistan emerges as one of world’s fastest-growing solar markets, importing nearly 50GW of solar panels
  • Hoymiles entry will address long-hour backup and energy storage challenges facing Pakistan’s growing solar sector, local partner says

KARACHI: Renowned Chinese inverter manufacturer Hoymiles has entered Pakistan to provide high-tech, long-duration energy storage solutions for residential, commercial and industrial buildings by utilizing solar systems for electricity consumption, its Pakistani partner said on Monday.

Over the past few years, a large number of Pakistani industrial, commercial and residential electricity consumers have shifted to solar power systems to address frequent power outages and the rising cost of electricity. Reports indicate that net-metering capacity currently stands at 6,000 megawatts (MWs), while off-grid solar capacity has increased to 12,000 MWs in Pakistan by the end of 2025.

Hoymiles has formed strategic partnerships with Superstar, a renowned name in Pakistan’s automotive industry, and Harisun Energy, a new entrant in the energy solutions sector, to explore the Pakistani market, which is witnessing rapid growth in solar power adoption. In this regard, launch events were held simultaneously in Karachi and Lahore, unveiling multiple storage solutions produced by Hoymiles under the brands of Harisun Energy and Superstar.

Speaking as the chief guest at the Hoymiles launching ceremony in Karachi, Ali Rashid, advisor to Sindh chief minister on science and information technology (IT), said the provincial government appreciates foreign investors, particularly Chinese companies, establishing their industries, assembly, and distribution units in Karachi to meet the demand of the local market as well as export solutions to other countries.

“The government is working rigorously to facilitate foreign investors and companies to enhance their business and commercial activities, mainly in the technology and renewable energy sectors, to improve the living standards of the public and boost economic activity within the country and the province of Sindh,” he said.

The Sindh government is currently collaborating with various Chinese companies across different sectors, including logistics and renewable energy, and it welcomes further cooperation between the private and public sectors, according to Rashid.

The provincial government is considering establishing its own regulatory authority and transmission company, aimed at setting up a separate electricity grid system at the provincial level, which could provide affordable electricity to the masses and enhance connectivity to remote areas, preferably through renewable energy resources.

According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Pakistan has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing solar markets, importing approximately 50 GW of solar panels amid falling prices and widespread adoption across sectors in the first half of the year. This surge has made Pakistan the third-largest market for Chinese solar panels, a growth that has attracted global attention.

Superstar Solar Energy and Harisun Energy are introducing Hoymiles’ innovative range of solar inverters, energy storage solutions, and smart energy management systems to the Pakistani market. These solutions are designed to deliver reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy, empowering individuals and businesses to harness solar power as a clean and green energy source.

“Pakistan’s growing solar sector is facing a major challenge related to long-hour backup and energy storage solutions, which will soon be addressed with the entry of a global leader in energy solutions,” said Haris Jamsheed, CEO of Harisun Energy.

“Our partnership with the Chinese company will provide innovative energy storage solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial solar systems, enabling uninterrupted electricity supply at workplaces, factories, and homes during nighttime hours.”

Solarization has continued to expand across the country on a large scale due to prolonged load-shedding in remote areas and the high cost of electricity, which has become unaffordable for many households and industrial units, particularly in recent years.

“We have vowed to bring an energy revolution to Pakistan through innovative storage solutions, as the industrial and commercial sectors can enhance productivity with low-cost electricity backup systems,” said Saleem Umar, Chairman of Superstar.

“Affordable electricity will reduce operational costs at the domestic level, enabling exporters to compete more effectively in global markets.”