Pakistan’s first wildlife hospital completed with 12 operation theatres

Senior Provincial Minister for Punjab Maryam Aurangzeb was briefed on several projects, including the wildlife hospital, at a meeting held during her visit to the Forest and Wildlife Command and Control Centre.

The meeting was told that Pakistan’s first wildlife hospital, equipped with modern facilities, has 12 operation theatres and two examination rooms.

Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said the wildlife hospital, set up under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is an important milestone in the treatment and protection of wildlife.

The meeting was also informed of the Punjab Chief Minister’s directive to prepare a master plan and a business plan to turn Jallo Park into a modern eco-tourism centre under a public-private partnership model.

It was also decided to install a system equipped with modern Technology for timely detection of fires in forests. The meeting was told that forests are being monitored through AI, long-range thermal cameras, live surveillance and satellite monitoring.

The briefing said the historic milestone of planting 50 million saplings in one year has been crossed. More than 10 million further saplings are being planted during the monsoon Tree Plantation campaign. With public participation, trees will also be planted over 1,500 acres at Ghazi Ghat.

The meeting was told that 285 geo-tagging nurseries are now functioning in the province, where a full record of each plant is being kept and digital monitoring is being ensured.

The Giraffe Café and the Tree House Café at the safari have also been completed. Both cafés will offer the public modern, world-class recreational facilities and will be a new facility for promoting eco-tourism in a natural setting.

According to the briefing, 215 women have been inducted for the first time into the Forest Rangers force, which has more than 5,000 personnel. Fines of more than Rs10 million were also imposed during action against timber theft.

The meeting reviewed progress on Changa Manga, the safari and other wildlife projects. It was directed that steps to promote eco-tourism be speeded up.

Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb also inspected the live monitoring of forests, geo-tagging, satellite surveillance and the use of modern Technology.