Pakistan: Karachi man arrested for tying dog to car and dragging it across the road, horrific video sparks outrage

A horrific video shared on social media showing a dog tied to a car in Karachi, Pakistan, being dragged across the road until it allegedly died, has raised serious concerns over animal abuse in the country. Police have arrested the vehicle owner.

On June 3, the clip was shared by Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation (ACF) Animal Rescue, @ACFAnimalRescue, a shelter in the city with the caption: “We as a nation enjoy torturing animals. Where is the justice you promised for all the vulnerable? @ImranKhanPTI #pakistan”

Reportedly, the incident occurred on Siraj-ud-Daula Road and the dog died.

Soon after, the clip went viral and the number-plate of the car was tracked. The driver was arrested, according to a social media post by a police official and local media reports.

Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP), in Sindh, Assad Malhi, tweeted through his unverified account: “Karachi Police traced the car driver and arrested him and seized the vehicle; case is being registered against him in district East Karachi. @sindhpolicedmc @PoliceMediaCell.”

The rescue centre expressed their gratitude for the support they received and the police’s prompt response.

“Thank you so much Sir. You have given us light in so much darkness. We hope the right person is punished. This is the first time ever that justice has been served so quickly for a case about an animal and we hope this sets an example for others that #AnimalCruelty is inexcusable,” a tweet by the animal shelter read.

In an Instagram post, the rescue facility wrote: “A big thank you to everyone who helped push for justice to be sought and to the police for doing what’s right. And the biggest thank you to all of you! This step would not have been possible without everyone raising their voices together! This only happened because everyone was collectively talking and raising their voice and showing their outrage.”

In Karachi, the government has ordered mass killings of dogs multiple times, viewing them as a threat to the public.

In 2016, over 700 dogs were killed in a matter of days after reports of attacks on locals emerged. The incident caused outrage amongst animal rights activists in the country.

In April, an official order instructed the city government to “speed up” culling of dogs along with fumigation spray and garbage collection, amidst the coronavirus crisis. ACF has strongly opposed the order, it was reported.

As people choose to stay home during the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been reported that the stray dog population has been increasing in Karachi.