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Rare Indus dolphin shot dead in Balochistan

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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.  

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Business

SFD and Pakistan Sign Two Deals Totaling $1.61BLN

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Two agreements totaling $1.61 billion have been inked by Pakistan and the Saudi Fund for Development to improve their bilateral economic cooperation.

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Entertainment

‘Kashmir Banay Ga Pakistan’ is a new song teased by ISPR for Solidarity Day

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A new anthem, “Kashmir Banay Ga Pakistan,” was issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday (tomorrow) in honor of Kashmir Solidarity Day.

Every year on February 5, Kashmir Solidarity Day is commemorated to show solidarity with the people of Indian-Occupied Kashmir.

Renowned musician Ahmed Jahanzeb sings the song, which sends a powerful message of solidarity and dedication to the liberation fighters of Held Kashmir.

Imran Raza wrote the words, while Irfan Saleem and Kamran Khan composed the music.

The song was composed especially to commemorate the momentous day and to reaffirm support for the courageous and tenacious people of Kashmir, who are fighting for their right to self-determination, as guaranteed by the documents of united nations

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Latest News

PM Visits NA Speaker’s Home: Pakistani Economic Data Points to Improvement: Shehbaz

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“Improving economic indicators and growing confidence of international investors and financial institutions is a welcome sign,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remarked.
When the Prime Minister visited Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s home in Lahore, he stated that the provinces and the federation are working together for the public’s welfare.
Shazia Marri, Syed Khurshid Shah, and Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, were also present.
The Deputy Speaker was also congratulated by the Prime Minister on the marriage of his son.
Also discussed were opinions regarding the nation’s general political situation.

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