Karachi   -  The animals’ rights activists have expressed concerns over the lacklustre attitude of the otherwise young and dynamic Mayor of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui, who has not yet come up with a practical solution to end the suffering of Madhubala, the lone 16- year old African elephant languishing in the Karachi Zoo.

After her 17-year old sister Noor Jehan’s death in April this year, Madhubala’s fate is hanging in balance. She was scheduled to be shifted to Safari Park, a better, larger space (compared to the 1000-sq yard Zoo) last month in September and in this regard an understanding was reached between the International Animals Rights Group, Four Paws and the KMC leadership in August this year.

According to the plan, the KMC had to send a formal letter to the Four Paws requesting them to arrive in Karachi and implement the relocation plan of Madhubala.

However, when contacted a senior KMC official requesting anonymity, admitted no such request had been sent so far as the Mayor “has been terribly busy these days.” We understand it is an urgent matter and is related with the health and wellbeing of the animal. Hopefully, very soon we shall send the Four Paws a go-head in this regard, he said.

It may be mentioned here that the Four Paws’ experts had visited the Karachi Zoo on a number of occasions and recommended relocation of Madhubala to Safari Park where already two of her cousins, Malika and Sonia are living in good environment. The animals’ rights group has even spent huge money as their vets performed a number of operations, treatments and tests on these elephants all on the Four Paws’ expenses.

Recently, the group has also constructed a huge container and put it in the Karachi Zoo. According to the Four Paws’ experts, shifting of elephant is not simple as it seems. It requires special training. For smooth shifting of Madhubala she will be trained first to enter the cage and come out. The training process is time-consuming. According to the Four Paws, their trainer is ready to undertake the task but only after a formal invitation letter by the KMC. The animal rights activists, meanwhile, have urged the KMC to move swiftly and allow the vets to complete the unfinished task. 

Murtaza Wahab is known as a man of action and this slackness on part of such a dynamic administrator of the city is beyond one’s understanding, said Khurram an animal rights activist. Meanwhile, Madhubala’s solitary confinement it seems would continue as the KMC keeps delaying her relocation plan.