NGOs tipped off the authorities about the event taking place. Spectators were enjoying the fourth fight when the police and the district administration closed down the fair. “It took us at least an hour to close down the event. We had to argue with the organisers. Eventually we forced the people to leave,” said Constable Hassan Rasheed Gujjar. “The event had obviously been organised weeks in advance because it was a very large gathering,” said SP Rahim Yar Khan, Nazeer Khan, adding that police officials had arrested organisers of the event.
In Rahim Yar Khan’s slums, Tibba Baba Ghareeb Shah, locals arranged a dog fighting fair that started at 12 . 28 dogs were to participate in the dog fights from Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. Before the event was cancelled, a series of dog fights took place. The three fights were won by an American bull terrier and bull mistus breed owned by a local breeder, Salman Khattak. Due to early closure of the fair, the overall champion fighter dog was not announced.
The winners of the animals also took home cash prizes donated by the organisers of the event and several notable land lords in the district.
The owners of the winning dogs also performed bhangra to the tunes of street drummers who were called in for the event. Several dogs were also injured during the fights. “It is a lot of fun and such events are organised every year,” said a spectator Pervaiz, adding that he hoped the authorities would legalise the event by next year. “There are very few sources of entertainment open to local people. The police impose a ban on all those that are organised for us,” he said. An NGO worker said that all animal fighting events were illegal as they promoted cruelty towards animals.
“Our district government should try to divert its attention towards introducing wholesome entertainment for the local population rather than promoting such bloody sports,” said Khalida Waheed.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2010.
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