The mysterious death of three lion cubs and one gone missing at the Karachi zoo in August was the result of an ongoing ‘tug of war’ among senior government officials, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources in the zoo administration, on condition of anonymity, told Pakistan Today that some political leaders are taking interest in the inquiry into the incident – in which three cubs died while another went missing from their enclosure. “They are using pressure tactics to divert the course of the investigation and save some influential officers of the city government’s Community Development Department (CDD).”
The sources alleged that these influential CDD officers have built their own private zoos and wanted to get the lions for their collection. “They have waged a cold war for getting hold of the pair of lions and were using different techniques to get access to the lion enclosure through some CDD officers.”
“The persons have acquired many animals legally by fulfilling documentary formalities for their zoos from these officers with links to their political party.
The sources said that some CDD officers were also supporting the influential people in fulfilling their illegal interests but they have been left out of the inquiry. “Safe passage is being provided to such officers and the influential personalities are also being saved now.”
The zoo administration officers claimed that the newborn lions may have been killed in the ensuing war among influential personalities, who are also not being inquired. “Some officials were dismissed through the biased inquiry to save some CDD officers, who have close links with armed forces and a political party.”
“The CDD officials are relatives of political leaders and also close relatives of high-rank military personnel. They also got out-of-turn promotions as more than six senior CDD officers having over 10 years of experience were rejected and their juniors promoted,” the sources said.
“All zoo and related departments staff members should be inquired and the politically-appointed officers giving favours to influential people by filling their personal zoo cages should also be investigated.”
Last year, two pairs of lions were confiscated by customs authorities at the Karachi airport as the animals were imported on an ‘expired’ permit. The big cats were handed over to the Sindh Wildlife Department which shifted them to the zoo citing lack of space for keeping the wild animals.
With the matter pending in court, a lioness gave birth to four cubs. But they hardly survived for five days and three of them were found dead in the cage while one was missing.
