Animal experts will decide in the coming days whether an ailing elephant at a zoo in Pakistan needs to be euthanized after it collapsed in its pen last week and has since failed to stand up, officials said.
The 17-year-old African elephant underwent emergency treatment for a tumor in Karachi on April 5, but collapsed days later and has since lain stricken on its side.
The pitiful plight of Noor Jehan is being shared by animal rights activists on social media in Pakistan and abroad, prompting calls for the zoo to be shut down.
Pakistan's zoos are frequently accused of disregarding animal welfare, and in 2020 a court ordered the only facility in the country's capital to close because of its decrepit state.
Noor Jehan's fate now lies with a committee waiting for the arrival of Amir Khalil, the Austria-based chief vet of animal charity Four Paws International.
Khalil, who led the team that treated Noor Jehan for the tumor, told AFP he wanted to have "one last try" at helping the pachyderm recover.
"We will fight till the last for her recovery, and the rest is in the hands of Allah," said Kanwar Ayub, the director of Karachi Zoo.
"We are diligently following Four Paws instructions for Noor Jehan's treatment."
Noor Jehan is still eating despite being on her side, pin-pricked by drips, and regularly doused with water to cool her down.
"Her condition remains critical and uncertain," Four Paws said.
Vet Khalil said the focus would likely shift to Noor Jehan's pen pal, Madhubala, with the hope of finding her better accommodation.
"We will do what we can for Noor Jehan but really we need to move the other animal," he said.
In 2019 Islamabad's zoo was shut down after drawing international condemnation for its treatment of an Asian elephant named Kaavan.
Kavaan was later airlifted to retirement in Cambodia in a project spearheaded by US popstar and actor Cher and carried out by Four Paws.
Ailing Pakistan elephant Noor Jehan may be euthanized after collapsing
https://arab.news/9qwn6
Ailing Pakistan elephant Noor Jehan may be euthanized after collapsing
- Noor Jehan underwent emergency treatment for a tumor in Karachi on April 5 but collapsed just days later
- Four Paws chief vet Amir Khalil is returning to Pakistan, says wants to have "one last try" to save Noor Jehan
Islamabad says Pakistan Saudi Arabia Economic Cooperation Framework initiatives ‘being materialized’
Islamabad says Pakistan Saudi Arabia Economic Cooperation Framework initiatives ‘being materialized’
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agreed to launch framework in October to expand trade, investment ties in priority sectors
- Pakistan views Saudi Arabia as a vital regional ally that has helped it avert macroeconomic crises over the years
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson said on Thursday that certain initiatives related to the Pakistan Saudi Arabia Economic Cooperation Framework “are being materialized,” describing the economic partnership between the two countries as “solid, firmly rooted.”
Islamabad and Riyadh agreed to launch an Economic Cooperation Framework in October, as per the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), to expand bilateral trade and investment ties. This decision was taken during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
Sharif’s office had said the framework will see the two countries focus on priority sectors including energy, industry, mining, information technology, tourism, agriculture and food security.
“Pakistan-Saudi economic partnership is solid, firmly rooted,” Tahir Andrabi, the foreign office spokesperson, said during a weekly news briefing. “There were certain initiatives taken during the visit of our prime minister to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are being materialized.”
Andrabi said Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Board of Investment are working on “individual investments” between the two countries but did not provide any further details.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb departed for Riyadh on Wednesday to attend the three-day Global Development Finance Conference, where he is expected to present Islamabad’s perspective on climate adaptation and financing.
“During the conference, Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb will participate in a high-level session on climate adaptation and resilience, where he will join global leaders in discussing how developing countries can secure the capital needed to address climate vulnerabilities,” the Finance Division said in a statement on Wednesday.
Aurangzeb is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with senior Saudi officials, including leadership of the National Development Fund and the Ministry of Finance, to discuss development financing, investment opportunities and broader economic cooperation.
The finance chief will additionally meet Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Riyadh to review ongoing economic diplomacy initiatives.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long enjoyed close ties but have sought to broaden cooperation in recent months.
In September, the two countries signed a security agreement pledging that aggression against one would be treated as an attack on both. The move was widely viewed as formalizing longstanding military cooperation into a binding commitment aimed at bolstering joint deterrence.
The Kingdom also hosts more than 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the largest source of remittances for Pakistan’s $407 billion economy.
