Pakistan’s Sindh govt collaborates with local NGO to provide artificial limb to camel

Karachi, June 17 (IANS) Cammie the Camel, whose leg was chopped off by a landlord of Mund Jamrao in Sindh’s Sanghar district, has not only been rescued from its owner but also is going to get an artificial limb through the collaboration of the Sindh government and a local NGO CDRS Benji.

Earlier, an Indian national offered to send an artificial leg for the camel however, the Sindh government did not consider the offer.

Cammie, a name selected by CDRS (Comprehensive Disaster Response Service) Benji project, a non-government organization working for stray and injured animals in Pakistan, took the initiative to reach out to the owner of the camel, whose leg was chopped off and rescued it, providing the camel with required treatment and bringing it to Karachi from Sanghar.

“CDRS Benji team took with it a medical team to treat Cammie and make sure its wounds have not been infected. Later, we paid the price of the camel to the owner and brought Cammie to our facility in Karachi,” said Sarah Jahangir, Director of CDRS Benji Karachi.

“The Sindh government has been working closely with the CDRS Benji project for the treatment and rehabilitation of Cammie,” Sarah added.

Since the incident occurred and the matter went viral on social media, the Indian national named Ravindra Bhai offered to send the artificial leg for the camel from India.

“We are not aware of any offer from India and frankly we did not even require to consider it because we have arrangements here in Pakistan. The Sindh government and CDRS Benji have already found BIONIKS Pakistan to prepare an artificial limb,” Sara Jahangir said.

The incident gained global attention when local journalists from Sanghar district reported about the camel and how an influential landlord for trespassing on his land chopped off its leg.

The incident occurred on June 14, when it was reported that a landlord in Mund Jamrao village in Sindh’s Sanghar district chopped off Cammie’s leg for trespassing on his field seeking fodder. As per locals in Sanghar, the camel was first beaten by the labourers of the landlord and later its leg was chopped off.

The incident was condemned widely and action against the brutal act of the landlord was demanded by voices from across the globe.

The owner of the poor peasant named Soomar Behan refrained from lodging a complaint with the police due to the fear of the landlord. However, the local police took action and arrested at least five people involved in the incident.

Later it was confirmed by Sharjeel Memon, the Information Minister in the Sindh government, that action was directed by the state against the culprits.

On the other hand, Governor Sindh Kamran Tesoori has announced to give the owner of the camel at least two camels as compensation for Cammie.

Now that Cammie is under the supervision of CDRS Benji, special care and rehabilitation are being provided until the artificial leg is ready.

Cammie will now stay with CDRS Benji in Karachi and its complete care would be ensured in collaboration with the Sindh government.

“The 8-month-old female camel was in acute pain and everyone was coming together to help the camel because the prosthetic would take time as it needed around two months for the wound to heal before proper measurements could be taken. We are trying to heal her infection and soothe her pain with heavy painkillers, antibiotics and other medications,” Sara Jahangir said.

“She is in pain, and it was traumatizing for her to be carried into the shelter. But she is eating now and taking in everything around her with those beautiful, intelligent eyes,” added Sarah Jahangir.

BIONIKS Pakistan cofounder Anas Niaz said they would start working on the artificial limb as soon as Cammie heals.

“We are working on the limb for the camel as right now it needs to heal, which will take around 1-2 months time and after that rehabilitation of the camel will start. As the camel will need replacement from time to time, this will be an ongoing process that we are actively managing,” he said.

–IANS

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