KARACHI, May 20: The Safari Area, that has remained closed for the public for past many years and was scheduled to be opened on Thursday, could not be opened for the lack of necessary arrangements, it is learnt.

The area is located in the back yard of the Safari Park in Gulisitan-i-Jauher and houses over 500 mammals, which move around freely, away from human interference, on its over 250 acres divided in 11 huge enclosures.

According to sources, a high-level meeting of the city government, held a couple of weeks back, took a decision, widely reported in the press, that the safari area would be opened on May 20 and City Nazim Naimatullah Khan would inaugurate it.

The city government was supposed to provide two of its air-conditioned coaches to launch a safari ride in the area, but despite passage of many weeks, the promised coaches, which were otherwise used for foreign visitors, had not yet been provided to the Safari Park management, the sources added.

The park management had also requested for appointment of security guards and guides, so that proper security arrangements could be provided to the visitors, besides giving them the latest information regarding the animals that they would be watching during their ride.