KARACHI — The Sindh High Court (SHC) was informed on Thursday that almost half of the sanctioned positions at Karachi’s three major zoos remain unfilled due to a government-imposed hiring ban, leaving critical animal care operations understaffed.
According to a report submitted by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), 116 out of 233 approved posts at Karachi Zoo, Safari Park, and Landhi-Korangi Zoo are currently vacant. The shortage includes veterinarians and other essential staff responsible for managing the city’s zoological facilities.
The report noted that a province-wide recruitment freeze, enforced by an order from the Local Government Department in June last year, has stalled efforts to hire new employees. Despite this, KMC officials said they have been continuously appealing for permission to fill the vacant posts.
As part of the proceedings, the senior director of the zoo department also submitted a compliance report regarding the relocation of the bear “Rano,” confirming that she had been safely transferred to a sanctuary in Islamabad. The official assured the court that all possible measures were being taken for the welfare of animals under KMC’s supervision.
The report revealed that the city’s recreational department which oversees Karachi Zoo, Safari Park, and Landhi-Korangi Zoo was originally established nearly six decades ago. Under its old structure, three veterinarians were sanctioned: two for Karachi Zoo and one for Safari Park. Currently, only one assistant director-level vet remains on duty, while the other two posts have been vacant for months.
It further stated that several crucial positions, including head zookeeper, assistant head zookeeper, zookeepers, and mahawats, are also unfilled, placing additional strain on existing staff.
To address the shortage, the KMC referred to a Council Resolution passed in 1997 that established a panel of veterinary consultants to assist the city’s zoos during emergencies. At present, three senior veterinarians are on the panel.
Since 2021, Austria-based animal welfare organisation Four Paws has served as a key consultant for the city’s elephants, in compliance with previous SHC directives. The KMC also informed the court that it has formed a technical committee led by Dr. R.C. Rajapaksa, Director General of Sri Lanka’s National Zoological Department, with Dr. Amir Khalil of Four Paws as co-chair.
Dr. Khalil personally examined Rano earlier this year and confirmed that the bear was a Syrian species, identifiable by its light-coloured claws contradicting claims by some local NGOs that she was Himalayan.
During the hearing, petitioner Jibran Nasir pointed out that not only was there a shortage of staff, but the X-ray machines and operation theatres at the facilities were also non-functional.
Expressing displeasure over the condition of the zoos, the bench ordered authorities to repair the medical equipment immediately. The judges also suggested that Karachi’s zoos should be transformed into national parks to better protect wildlife.
Warning of strict consequences, the court stated that if the issues remained unresolved, the matter could be referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for investigation. The hearing was adjourned for two weeks, with instructions for the committee formed by the chief minister to submit a progress report at the next session.
