'Grand operation' against Karachi's stray dogs of 'paramount importance', says PTI MPA

KARACHI: A "grand operation" against stray dogs in the port city is of "paramount importance", a PTI lawmaker in Sindh Assembly said in a letter demanding action against the canines.

The ruling PTI's MPA from the PS-97 Korangi constituency voiced his grievances in a letter addressed to the city's commissioner, Naveed Ahmed Shaikh, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Administrator Laeeq Ahmed, Korangi's deputy commissioner Shehryar Memon, and Korangi Creek Cantonment Board chief executive (CEO) Omar Masoom Wazir.

Khan, in his letter, demanded that a "grand operation" against "stray and mad dogs" be initiated in Karachi, lamenting how, despite constantly asking relevant officers to address the growing population of the canines for the past two-and-a-half years, there has been no action.

"I say this with much regret that my request fell on deaf ears of all the relevant officers," he wrote, adding that an immediate redressal was of "paramount importance".

"The population of these dogs has grown so much that there are five to 10 stray dogs in every street," the PTI MPA said.

Fixing the issue was the top officials' responsibility, he added, since "we, the people's representatives, can only apprise the top officials of the citizen's problems".

"It's alarming to think about when the top officials would understand their responsibilities and when would the top officials respond to problems of and problems identified by the public representatives.

"I request you once again that for God's sake, the public is deeply disturbed by the rising number of dog-bite cases. A grand operation should immediately be initiated against these stray and mad dogs and protection be provided to the citizens immediately," he wrote.

It is important to note that over 27,000 dog-bite cases have been reported in the past three years, with the Sindh government neutering the canines instead of culling them.