Pakistan to receive two elephants as gift from Sri Lanka

LAHORE: Sri Lanka has pledged to provide two elephants to Pakistan as a gesture of goodwill in the aftermath of the unfortunate demise of Noor Jehan, an African elephant in Karachi Zoo.

Honorary Consul General Yasin Joyia confirmed the development to Geo News on Sunday. As per Joyia, the Consul General's office has formally submitted a request to the Sri Lankan High Commissioner seeking the provision of these two majestic creatures.

However, it is worth noting that the Sri Lankan high court has previously issued a ban on the export of elephants to other countries.

Speaking with Geo News a day earlier, the diplomat said that Sri Lanka will be sending two female elephants to Pakistan — one for the Karachi Zoo and another for Lahore.

Joyia added that there is no elephant in Lahore's zoo after the death of Suzi, who passed away in May 2017 and was the only large mammal there.

He also expressed grief over the 17-year-old Noor Jehan's demise in Karachi that died after prolonged health issues exacerbated by reportedly a lack of care at the zoo.

The Sri Lankan envoy also said that the names of the elephants will be given by the government back home and that announcement of their arrival will be made in the next few days.

It should be noted that there has been an immense outcry over caging animals in the zoo by animal rights activists ever since Noor Jehan's story surfaced putting light on the lack of care she received amid her ailing health at the Karachi Zoo.

The Internet had strongly reacted to her painful end blaming “criminal negligence” by the zoo’s administration and their obliviousness towards animal rights.

The pitiful plight of Noor Jehan was shared by animal rights activists on social media in Pakistan and abroad, prompting calls for the zoo to be shut down.