Stray dogs roaming the streets, parks, green belts and playgrounds of different sectors of Federal Capital Islamabad have become a significant concern for residents, posing serious threats to their safety. These dogs are frequently spotted around meat and chicken shops, in open areas near garbage dumps, and throughout the city's public spaces, making life increasingly difficult for the local communities. Many people, particularly children, have been attacked by stray dogs while walking through the streets. Rashid Minhas and Saifur Rehman Minhas, residents of Capital sector I-10/1, mentioned that they often go for morning walks and play games in a nearby park, which is frequently occupied by stray dogs. They emphasized that despite several campaigns by the concerned officials, the problem of stray dogs has not been resolved. Despite repeated complaints to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the district administration, the issue persists due to the administration's failure to effectively eliminate the stray dogs. Instead, the number of stray dogs continues to rise rapidly due to inadequate planning by the relevant departments of the CDA.

The dogs are commonly seen around garbage trolleys in nearly every sector of the city during the day and roam the streets at night. A survey conducted by this news agency revealed that several Federal Sectors, including I-10, I-9, I-8, G-8, Aabpara, Melody, G-11, G-10, Karachi Company, and more remote areas like Tramari, Chatta Bakhtawar, Bhara Kahu, Bani Gala, D-11, G-13, Bari Imam, and Margalla Town, are overrun with stray dogs. Densely populated residential areas such as G-7, Sohan, Khanna, Ghauri Town, PWD, Soan Garden, Jinnah Garden, CBR Town, and various neighborhoods in Rawalpindi, including Gulzar-e-Quaid, Gulraiz 1 and 2, Dhok Chaudhrian, Yousaf Colony, Chaklala Scheme 3, Committee Chowk, Satellite Town, Sadiqabad, Dhok Khabba, Dhok Piracha, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Pirwadhai, Fauji Colony, Shams Colony, Naseerabad, Westridge, Range Road, Tench Bhata, Afshan Colony, and Quaid-e-Azam Colony, are also heavily affected by the presence of stray dogs.

A resident of Ghauri Town, Asif Minhas, along with Shahmir, expressed their deep concern, saying, "It is alarming that stray dogs move in packs, posing serious risks to residents, especially children. Several children have been bitten by stray dogs in the past few months, and despite lodging complaints with the authorities, nothing has been done." Asif Minhas further stated, "I was bitten by a stray dog in Ghauri Town over a year ago. I had to struggle to get vaccinated as there was a shortage of anti-rabies vaccines in government hospitals. I urge the local authorities to take this issue seriously, as thousands of people in Pakistan lose their lives to dog bites each year." It's worth noting that the Global Alliance for Rabies Control reports that over 80,500 cases of dog bites are reported annually across Pakistan, and the World Health Organization estimates that up to 5,000 people die from rabies in the country every year. Last year even the Senate Standing Committee on Interior had expressed its concerns over growing population of stray dogs in the capital.

The committee, which met then Senator Mohsin Aziz in the chair, discussed various agenda items, including stray dogs in Sector D-12 and increasing incidents of dog bite, causing problems to the residents especially the senior citizens, women and children. The committee took up the stray dogs issue on petitions filed by citizens to senate chairman. They in their petitions, contended that the CDA be asked to speed up their operation against stray dogs. They also requested the senate chairman to look into the court decision banning killing of stray dogs. The ministry officials had told the meeting that stray dogs have been kept in dog centres and around 22,000 dogs have been treated and 1,200 dogs have been released after treatment. However the committee was of the view that treatment and having them exposed again to public is not an appropriate solution. The committee members reiterated that although the committee respects animals’ rights, human life is more important it cannot put to threat hence proper measures should be taken to eradicate stray dogs.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan