IT was sickening to watch the television news the other day showing a lion in a cage, which a candidate for the local bodies elections in Gujranwalla had cruelly and barbarously displayed on the road, the lion being his election symbol.
A sizable number of people of all ages had assembled around the cage teasing and annoying the lion, some even using sticks disturbing and destroying the peace of the poor creature locked in the cage. The crowd included children who wanted to be as close to the cage as possible, and this closeness could have resulted in a tragedy.
I, like many fellow Pakistanis, fail to under stand why the authorities allow such types of election campaigns in which animals are made to suffer and can cause loss of lives.
According to the reports, the candidate concerned had hired the lion for 10 days from a circus company and must have paid quite a hefty amount, but sadly our election commissioner failed to take any legal action against such surpass the expenditure ceiling on campaign.
Cruelty to animals is prohibited by law.
All over the civilised world animals are treated like human beings and there are special care centres for them. In our country they are dragged on roads locked in a small cage to get votes. If elected, such violators of law will not work for the well-being of their voters. I request the Election Commission of Pakistan toliberate thislion and take action against the candidate.
