KARACHI: Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has denied reports circulating on social media that claim the deceased elephant Noor Jehan’s meat was being sold.
Noor Jehan, a 17-year-old elephant at Karachi Zoo in Pakistan, died on April 22, 2023, after falling into a pond in her enclosure and being unable to stand up on her own. She was critically ill before the accident, and despite efforts by animal welfare organizations to treat her, she ultimately succumbed to her condition.
Noor Jehan’s death had sparked criticism of Pakistan’s zoos and calls for better animal care and closure of Karachi Zoo. Animal welfare charity Four Paws, which had been treating Noor Jehan, has called for the transfer of the zoo’s other elephant, Madhubala, to a more appropriate location to prevent another tragedy.
جانوروں کی فلاح وبہبود اور صحت کے حوالے سے کام کرنے والی تنظیم فور پاز کی ٹیم کے ارکان بھی اس موقع پر موجودتھے ایڈمنسٹریٹر کراچی ڈاکٹر سید سیف الرحمن
ھتنی نورجہاں کے پوسٹ مارٹم اور تدفین کے ایک ایک لمحے کی فوٹیج اور تصاویر کے ایم سی کے پاس محفوظ ہیں ایڈمنسٹریٹر کراچی#karachi pic.twitter.com/D8p5FPX1Ca
— Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (@KmcPakistan) April 29, 2023
In a statement issued on Twitter, KMC refuted the social media reports and clarified that the autopsy and burial of the deceased elephant had been conducted under the strict supervision of Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization. The statement further added that pictures and footage of each and every moment of the postmortem and burial were safe with KMC.
Noor Jehan was buried last Sunday under the supervision of international experts and vets.
KMC also warned that legal action would be taken against those involved in spreading such rumours. “The purpose behind spreading news of the sale of Noor Jehan’s meat is a nefarious bid to defame KMC and the country,” the statement read. Additionally, the municipal corporation confirmed that it had started monitoring the source of these reports.
