2 Blasts in Karachi

win blasts occurred on Sunday evening in Abbas Town, Karachi, which left two dead and 18 injured, Express News reported.This is the second blast that has shaken Abbas Town in the span of four months.A blast took place in November of last year near an Imambargah in Abbas town, which killed two people and injured over a dozen men, including two Rangers personnel.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:20pm
Two people have died and 18 have been injured, Express News reports.
All of those injured in the blasts have not yet been shifted to hospitals.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:10pm
A second blast was heard in Abbas Town.
Windows of nearby buildings reportedly damaged.
The blasts were reported to have occurred on Abul Hasan Isphani Road.
Witnesses reported seeing a cloud of smoke rising from the site of the blasts.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:00pm
The first blast was heard in Abbas Town.
Initial reports suggest that it was due to a planted IED.
Rescue teams were alerted and had left for the site.

 

Read More

Visitors disappointed as zoo keeps Bengal Tigers out of view

The Karachi zoo was abuzz with energy on Sunday as thousands of people gathered there, eager to catch a glimpse of two of its newest guests – a pair of Bengal Tigers which had been imported all the way from Belgium. However, much to the chagrin of the visitors, the administrators had occluded the tigers’ cage by a tent.

The tigers are being kept temporarily at the zoo and will be permanent residents of Safari Park. The zoo’s director, Dr Kazim Hussain, tried to justify this move by saying, “The tigers arrived in the morning and they were agitated. We needed to keep the public away so that the animals could familiarise themselves with the new environment.”

The much anticipated white lions have also arrived in the city. One other reason that the tigers were not displayed is that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s administrator will unveil them along with the lions in a ceremony with heavy media coverage. “Hopefully, the administrator will be in the city and conduct a formal inauguration on Monday, after which we can allow the public to view the animals,” said Dr Hussain.

Not only was the presence of the tents an irritant for the visitors, but it also set the rumour mill in motion. Muhammad Shafeeq, who visited the zoo with his family, said he had no clue about what lay hidden behind the tent. “Only god knows why they are keeping this a secret. They must have been given orders by an official on a high post. There is so much politics in this country. I heard they got black tigers.” Another man standing near him said that white lions were in the enclosure while others speculated that a rare panther might be lurking just beyond sight.

The zoo draws between 25,000 and 30,000 visitors every Sunday. The number increased over the last year after the zoo’s former chief, Bashir Sadozai, ordered extensive renovations. However, some facilities are still missing and people don’t seem to know where the toilets are located. There is no proper system for families to find children who excitedly wander off and get lost in the crowd.

Read More

South African white lions to land in Karachi

KARACHI: 

These days the zoo is buzzing with energy as the authorities prepare to greet two very expensive guests – imported white lions from South Africa at a cost of Rs10 million.

According to zoo officials, the lions will be kept in a glass enclosure, the first of its kind in the country, to make it easier for visitors to spot the jungle royals. “The enclosure will be made from acrylic glass, similar to the material used for making windows for commercial aeroplanes said the zoo’s director, Dr Karim Hussain. The lions is here today. This is the first time we’ll have white lions in the country. No one has ever brought them here.”

The zoo authorities are expecting a large crowd to visit once the white lions make their first public appearance. An excited Hussain explained that the idea behind the glass enclosure was to give the children more access to the animals. He said that this way the children would be able to measure their palms against the lion’s paws. He added that having an acrylic glass cage for animals will be the first for Pakistan.

Braveheart

The white lion is a rare animal found only in the Timbavati region of South Africa. According to the Global White Lion Protection Trust they are growing extinct.

Track record

In recent weeks, the zoo has been in news for all the wrong reasons. Many animals have died, raising doubts about the capabilities of the handlers. But the former zoo director, Bashir Sadozai, insists that there is nothing wrong with the management. “White lions do not need special caretakers,” he said. “The staff is well trained to handle the different kinds of lions. We have done all the assessments in this case.”

Import issues

The lions are being imported through a commercial trader but interestingly the authorities do not know who is exporting the animals. Dr Hussain could not confirm if the animals were reared in private confinement or official safari. “I can assure you that Sindh Public Procurement rules have been followed in letter and spirit,” he said. “According to the importer, the animals are from a captive breeding facility. The import documents of the animals will tell us everything.”

Read More