Elephants in chains

Having been chained for 20 years, ‘Saheli’ the female elephant of Marghazar Zoo could no longer bear the ordeal of life in confinement, standing in one posture, infections in her feet and agony in her soul. She died on May 1, 2012. The six remaining elephants, thinly spread in four different zoos of Pakistan await a similar fate. ‘Kaavan’ in Islamabad, ‘Suzi’ in Lahore, ‘Noor Jehan’ and ‘Madhubala’ in Karachi zoo and ‘Malika’ and ‘Sonu’ at the Safari Park. The elephants in our zoos are caged, tied with chains, confined in solitary cells, ill-treated, ill-fed and emotionally battered.
We need to immediately release our elephants from their chains and cages. We need to create sanctuaries in Karachi and Lahore, each spread over 15-20 acres and housing a herd of at least three elephants. The sanctuaries should have a large number of shade-providing trees, mud ponds, water troughs for drinking water, covered area with sand and soft hay for sleeping, feeding locations and water ponds for bathing. The government has little interest or understanding of the cruelty meted out to these innocent creatures. Can the citizens come forward to alleviate the agony and torture so mercilessly designed into the daily existence of our zoo elephants?
Naeem Sadiq
Karachi