City zoo to be made ‘most beautiful place for kids to visit’

On a visit after over four decades, CM Murad pets a python,
feeds an elephant and takes photos of an excited monkey

Sindh’s chief minister has vowed that his provincial government would turn the Karachi Zoological Garden into the “most beautiful place for children to visit”.

During a visit to the zoo after more than four decades, CM Murad Ali Shah told the media on Wednesday that the conditions at the country’s largest zoo were unsatisfactory, but “I have included the upgrading of the zoo in the scheme launched under the Karachi package”.

He added that Architect Samar Ali Khan and some other friends were working with the Sindh administration to make the Karachi zoo the “most beautiful place for children to visit and enjoy its atmosphere”.

Accompanied by Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, the chief executive was received by Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar and senior officers of the provincial government and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

Recalling his childhood, CM Shah said he and his siblings used to visit the zoo with their father. “This is a very good place for children to refresh themselves by interacting with the birds and animals.”

He said he had received a lot of complaints against the zoo, which included lack of facilities for the visitors, encroachments around the garden and the poor conditions in which the animals were kept.

The CM said he was against the tradition of keeping animals in cages. “I have a plan under which the birds and animals would be kept in open surroundings so they could enjoy life and their behaviour could be observed in a more natural setting.”

Muhammad Waseem, additional chief secretary (development) of the planning & development department, informed Shah that a scheme of around Rs300 million was being launched to upgrade and reconstruct the zoo, for which the finance department had already released Rs150 million.

The chief executive said the plan presented by MPA Samar Ali Khan for the reconstruction of the Karachi zoo was one the best architectural works.

Shah was given a tour of the entire zoological garden. He went from cage to cage to observe the conditions in which the animals were housed as well as the open spaces and the canteen.

He petted a python that was brought out of its cage to show it to him, fed a piece of roti to an elephant and also took photographs with his mobile phone of an excited monkey.

At the conclusion of his visit, he said he enjoyed the outing and ordered the project director of the Karachi package to submit a detailed report on the upgrading, reconstruction and beautification plan of the zoo.