Inhuman treatment

Pakistani politicians have commonly referred to and compared their fellow politicians with animals

To this day, Pakistani politicians have commonly referred and compared their fellow politicians with animals. Amidst all this, one is left to think how and when animals became a symbol of derogation, fitting enough for our politicians and their supporters to express their hatred and despise towards the other.

Earlier this week, a stray donkey was heinously beaten and left seriously injured by supporters of a political party. All it took for these people was to carve out the name of the former and now jailed prime minister on the donkey’s body to forget that no living being can ever be deserving of such treatment that could possibly cost them the life. Moreover, not just the case in point, political fraternity here is devoid of the virtues of morality and ethics towards other human beings, let alone the virtues of kindness and compassion in treatment of animals.

Hence, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s code of conduct should also have clauses on animal safety and protection. In the presence of decades-old law for animal protection, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1890, the Senate of Pakistan has passed an amendment to the law recently. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill, 2018 includes provisions of increased penalty for those involved in such acts. While the government shirks from its duties, let’s commend the non-governmental organisations which are working for the protection and welfare of animals and are filling in for the government and its less-than-competent offices. It was due to the timely action of the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation that the donkey was not only rescued but also given the necessary medical treatment and aftercare.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2018.

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