Secretary of Livestock Kazim Jatoi visited the Comprehensive Disaster Response Services (CDRS) animal shelter in Karachi on Monday, following directives from Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.
The visit followed the remand of six suspects by a Shahdadpur magistrate in connection with the recent mutilation of a camel, which had its right leg severed in Mund Jamrao village, Sanghar district.
In line with the chief minister’s orders, Secretary Jatoi also arranged for an injured donkey to be transported to Karachi for treatment. Both animals are now receiving care at the CDRS facility.
The Sindh government has pledged to cover the treatment costs for both animals, with CM Shah stating that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is arranging a prosthetic leg for the camel from Dubai.
Secretary Jatoi reported that the camel’s leg is healing and mentioned that the donkey’s leg will be x-rayed tomorrow to determine the next steps in its treatment.
Incident and Response
The camel was injured on Friday when a landlord allegedly severed its leg as punishment for grazing in his field. Sanghar police took notice of the incident, which gained widespread attention on social media, and contacted the camel’s owner, Soomar Behan, a poor peasant.
Although Behan refused to identify the culprit or press charges, police lodged an FIR on behalf of the state against six unidentified individuals under sections 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
When police attempted to arrest the suspects on Saturday, they allegedly resisted and attacked the officers. The six suspects, identified as Rustam Shar, Abid Shar, Jaffar Jatt, Abdul Shakoor Shar, Gul Baig Lashari, and Darya Khan Shar, were arrested near Sanghar.
Sub-Inspector Atta Hussain Jutt stated that the suspects were presented before duty magistrate Asif Sial on Sunday, where police requested a 14-day remand for further investigation to locate the weapon used in the crime. The magistrate granted a four-day remand instead.
Treatment and Support
PPP Minister Shazia Marri and former PPP Senator Quratulain Marri took strong notice of the incident. In a joint statement, they mentioned that veterinary doctors referred the camel to CDRS, highlighting that rescuing the animal was a collaborative effort.
Sarah Jahangir, CDRS Benji Director, informed Dawn.com that the camel, affectionately named Cammie, remains stable but is at risk of infection. “She’s stable but her leg is infected,” Jahangir said, noting that treatment involves regular dressings, antibiotics, and IV fluids to combat infection.
Sarah confirmed that senior PPP members facilitated the camel’s transport to the shelter. “Shazia and Anny (Quratulain) Marri arranged for the camel to be transported to Karachi with police escort,” she said, adding that the animal arrived at 2:00 AM in severe pain.
She also noted that CDRS is exploring prosthetic leg options for the camel and plans to meet with experts from Karachi and Dubai.
