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By Junaid Shah Soori
KARACHI: Brooke Pakistan (Brooke Hospital for Animals – Pakistan), in collaboration with the Livestock & Fisheries Department, Government of Sindh hosted a seminar on “Floods 2022 and Animal Welfare in Pakistan, here last week.
This seminar was arranged Brooke Pakistan, an international non-profit organisation working since 1991 for the welfare of equine animals to share animal welfare issues in flood-affected areas and how Brooke Pakistan and other organizations responded to the relief operations and also to create a meaningful dialogue with the government, civil society organizations, and media to highlight the role of disaster preparedness and development of resilient animal owing communities.
Representatives from the Ministry of Livestock Sindh, NGOs and animal welfare alliance members, and a large number of media and journalist community participated in the event. Mr. Tameezuddin Khero, Secretary for Livestock & Fisheries Department, Sindh was the honorable chief guest on this auspicious occasion.
Citing official and international data, the speakers stated that the loss of livestock alone had been estimated to be over 1.1 million in the devastating floods, which had the greatest impact on Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.
“Floods impacted 14 districts where our organisation is working, affecting 657 equine animal-owning and using communities,” Dr Javed Iqbal Gondal representing Brooke Pakistan told the audience, while giving a presentation on the NGO’s relief operation.
Brig. Rashid Siddiqui Chairman (BOD-Brooke Pakistan) welcomed and greeted the distinguished guests. Mr. Javed Iqbal Gondal, Program Manager Brooke Pakistan emphasized the scale of animals that suffered all over Pakistan as a result of the flash floods. He said that “floods impacted 14 districts where Brooke Pakistan is working, affecting 657 equine animal owing and using communities” Brooke Pakistan provided first-aid and emergency treatment for 30,000 animals, 10,000 bags of green and dry fodder for equines and livestock, and 6000 human dry ration bags were distributed amongst the animal-owning communities”.
A panel discussion was held on Key issues of animal welfare in flood-affected areas and the way forward, which was facilitated by Mr. Naeem Abbas (Advocacy Manager, Brooke Pakistan
All the guests appreciated the effort of Brooke Pakistan in promoting the atmosphere of collaboration and combined advocacy efforts towards the such ignored cause and hoped that such seminars and fruitful discussions would continue in the future as well.
Brig. Rashid Siddiqui Chairman (BOD-Brooke Pakistan) gave the closing address, and he said media and religious communities should play the role of the care of working animals. He also thanked the guests and hoped that such dialogues could become productive for the poor women and working animals.
Brooke Pakistan’s Fundraising & Communications Manager Ahmad Umer Chaudhry presented and appreciated the work of journalists and social animal activists for their efforts in caring for animals.
Journalist of MM News Digital Junaid Shah Soori was honored with award by Brook Pakistan on his recent story on animals affected by flash flood in Sindh.
