Lahore/Vienna, 20 January 2025 - Pakistan's first conference on animal welfare, animal rights and environmental protection took place in Lahore on 18 and 19 January. The high-level panel consisted of political decision-makers, legal experts and NGO representatives. The keynote speeches were delivered by honorable Judges of the Islamabad High Court, whose decision in 2020 led to the closure of the desolate Marghazar Zoo in the Pakistani capital. Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS was represented in the panel and was honoured with an award for having conducted numerous wildlife rescues in Pakistan since 2020. The aim of the first conference of its kind was to discuss urgent solutions to improve animal welfare in the country.

The two-day conference in Lahore was well attended by a contingent of local media. Panel discussions on animal rights and animal welfare in Pakistan, global food systems and their ecological footprint took place simultaneously at several locations. Information stands and a cultural programme complemented the networking event. Veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil received an award for his efforts in Pakistan on behalf of the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS. These include the spectacular rescue of elephant Kaavan and the Himalayan brown bears Suzie and Bubloo in 2020 and, most recently, the family reunion of elephant Madhubala.

The call for national legislation for all animals

Justice Athar Minallah of the Supreme Court in Islamabad highlighted in his keynote the importance of recognizing animal rights as an acknowledgement of animals’ intrinsic value. Despite some local improvements, animal welfare in the country remains the responsibility of the individual regions. Improvement proposals for a new law are currently stalled at the livestock department in Sindh. In addition to provisions for animal health and regulations for animals in entertainment, these suggested improvements also include the protection of wild animals, such as bears and elephants.

A decision by the High Court in 2020 made an elephant fly

“The rescue of Kaavan is a story of superlatives. Never before had FOUR PAWS transported an elephant by cargo plane. We were also very lucky to be working with a global star like the musician Cher. Rescuing those animals from the neglected Marghazar Zoo would not have been possible without the support of the authorities. Only the decision of the High Court for animals to be seen as sentient beings made the rescue of Kaavan a reality. On behalf of FOUR PAWS, I would like to thank the committee for the award. We will continue to offer our support in the future to help even more animals in Pakistan,” says FOUR PAWS veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil who shares a special bond with elephant Kaavan after leading the relocation efforts.

“The wild animals rescued by FOUR PAWS are ambassadors for a species-appropriate life and for finding sustainable solutions, which we want to achieve for as many animals as possible. If new animal protection laws come into force, we stress that the positive developments will also include farm animals in Pakistan. We hope that the conference will be continued to shed even more light on the pressing issues of animal welfare in the country,” concludes Pfabigan.

Background

The Animal Welfare Act for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals dates back to 1890 and a revision is an important step forward. A successful implementation of the legal improvements and a growing awareness of animal welfare among the population are also important to improve the lives of all animals in Pakistan.

Successful FOUR PAWS rescue missions

• The ‘loneliest elephant in the world’
  The pictures of Kaavan, the ‘loneliest elephant in the world’, went around the world in 2020. The pachyderm was rescued from the cruel conditions of Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad with the help of Free the Wild, an organisation founded by pop star Cher. In a breathtaking operation, the elephant was soon found on a cargo plane that took him to his new, species-appropriate home in Cambodia, the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary in Siem Reap.
   
• Madhubala: Family reunion after 15 years of separation
  In November last year, FOUR PAWS was able to reunite the elephant Madhubala with her two siblings Malika and Sonia after 15 years of separation. Sadly, Sonia died shortly afterwards of a sepsis, the result of years of inappropriate husbandry.