I RECENTLY visited a bird market in Karachi, and what I witnessed was deeply distressing. Wild animals, including jackals, barn owls, kites, monkeys and mongooses, were confined to cages. One jackal hissed at a passer-by and threw itself repeatedly against the cage in fear.

Barn owls sat in cramped enclosures with flies swarming over rotting meat. A terrified monkey was being harassed by children striking its cage with sticks. Puppies, kittens and monkeys, separated from their mothers, were displayed as merchandise. Looking into their frightened eyes, one could hardly sustain eye contact. Further, igratory birds were confined to cages that barely allowed them space to stand.

This inhumane trade is a stark reminder that laws often exist only on paper. Such activity takes place openly, raising serious questions about the authorities and their conduct. How can protected species be sold in plain sight without official intervention?

Moreover, beyond regulatory failure, this reflects a deeper moral decline. When living beings are reduced to merchandise, suffering becomes normalised. The mis-treatment of voiceless animals fosters a culture where empathy erodes, and that erosion eventually shows in how humans treat each other.

The authorities must act immediately, enforce wildlife protection laws, conduct regular inspections, and shut down this illegal trade. Turning a blind eye enables cruelty and diminishes our humanity.

Sohaib Qureshi
Jamshoro

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2026