Pakistan

Rare Indus dolphin shot dead in Balochistan

Published

12 months ago

Farwa

In Pakistan, where countless people lose their lives in street crimes and other violent activities, one would wonder what a dolphin would have done to be shot dead.

In an unfortunate incident, a rare Indus River dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor), was killed by some unidentified men in Balochistan, it emerged on Sunday.

Sindh Wildlife Department spokesperson confirmed the tragic incident, saying that the dolphin strayed into the Gannang Regulator, Balochistan from Sukkur via the Kirthar Canal of the Indus River.

He said that the irrigation department had informed the wildlife department about the dead dolphin.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto junior, the grandson and namesake of the founder of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who is an animal rights activist and a culture enthusiast, lamented the incident in a video message shared on Instagram.

Heartbroken by the death of the innocent mammal, Zulfikar said everyone should be in a state of grief and mourning.

“If a bulhan [local name for Sindh’s dolphins] is murdered, means you have murdered a part of Sindh,” he said, referring to the ban on dolphin hunting imposed by his grandfather, the former prime minister, in a bid to make the endangered specie a protected one.

He then requested those involved in the brutal murder of the dolphin to refrain from doing such acts again.

“These things [dolphins] are very special and we can’t lose them,” Zulfikar added.

He captioned the video by writing, “I’m in grief and I pray for a kinder society”, on the picture and video sharing site.

Blind, with a snout equipped with two rows of sharp teeth, Sindh’s Indus river dolphins are endangered species and receive global importance due to their conservation status.

It is one of the only four freshwater dolphin species in the world facing multiple threats, which include unsustainable fishing and entanglement incidents, canal stranding and release of untreated industrial effluents to the river among others.

Living for millions of years in the turbid waters, the mammals eventually went blind and use echolocation, or a form of sonar, for navigation.

There was once a time when a large number of blind dolphins would be found in the Indus River. But now, its habitat has shrunk due to the construction of reservoirs, dams, and barrages for agricultural purposes.

Latest News

Rainfall throughout the night stops flights in Lahore.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Allama Iqbal International Airport experienced many hours of flight disruption due to the intense rainfall and windstorms that occurred overnight in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab.

Aviation sources claim that because of the monsoon weather, the flight operation was unable to operate between 3 and 4 am.

It is possible that the planes will arrive at the airport at 4 am.

Amidst delays in foreign airline flights, three aircraft made landings in Multan and Peshawar.

Riyadh flights arrived in Peshawar Airport, while flights scheduled to land in Lahore in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain ended up landing in Multan Airport.

Seven hours later than scheduled, the Qatar Airways flight from Doha arrived in Lahore.

Because of the bad weather, there are delays in the arrival and departure of numerous international planes.

Latest News

Changes to Pakistan’s Test team could be significant for the Bangladesh series.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Major changes to Pakistan’s team are anticipated ahead of the forthcoming Test series against Bangladesh, sources in Lahore have revealed.

As the team gets ready for the series, meetings with the players are planned for next week.

It is predicted that the Test squad would undergo several changes. The team’s lineup is expected to be strengthened by the likely inclusion of Muhammad Huraira. Key players like Faheem Ashraf, Wasim Jr., Saim Ayub, and Nauman Ali, whose contributions are vital to the team’s success, struggle to get a spot on the squad.

Furthermore, according to sources, Imamul Haq or Sahibzada Farhan are anticipated to be added to the team, subject to additional assessment. Furthermore, following a fitness assessment, Amir Jamal and Hasan Ali’s futures will be determined.

The ultimate selection for the Test team will take place following Red Ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s return to Pakistan. The ultimate squad that will play Bangladesh in the forthcoming Test series will be greatly influenced by his assessments and thoughts.

Pakistan is scheduled to visit New Zealand in March and April of 2025, according to the country’s official cricket schedule, which was released earlier this month.

Throughout their visit, the Pakistan cricket team will play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in an exciting series.

The T20I series, which starts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on March 16, will serve as the tour’s opening event.

Latest News

PM Meets With KP Lawmakers: Promises Progression and Relief Efforts in Province

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhawa lawmakers are given assurances by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the province’s development, namely in the amalgamated districts, with a particular emphasis on the provision of standard health and educational facilities.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa National and Provincial Assembly members paid a visit to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at PM House.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister stated that the PML-N Government has always given priority to the development of the combined districts.

The prime minister promised that the combined Districts would have standard health and educational facilities, and that Danish Schools would be established nearby to offer local pupils an education of the highest caliber possible.

The PM also underlined the importance of promoting solar energy, combating electricity theft, and helping the middle class and impoverished.

He said that in order to boost the agriculture sector’s growth, expand the amount of land under cultivation, and reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign fuel imports, the government was converting agricultural tubewells to solar energy nationwide.

According to PM Shehbaz Sharif, the government recently provided significant reduction from electricity rates for those with low and moderate incomes.

At the event, he also announced the creation of a committee headed by the deputy prime minister, whose goal will be to identify long-term solutions to the issues facing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s elected officials.

He argued that in order to preserve the nation from going into default, the current government had to make difficult political choices in order to revitalize the economy.

The parliamentarians gave Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif high marks for his visionary leadership in transforming Pakistan’s economy.