An ailing elephant in the Karachi Zoo, Noor Jehan, has died after efforts for her revival by experts and a Reikhi healer failed, Karachi Administrator Saifur Rehman announced Saturday noon.

Noor Jehan was suffering from a joint and bone conditionshe developed earlier this year. The disease progressed leaving her hind limbs partially paralyzed. She could barely move from the pain and was dragging herself around before she collapsed in her pen and could never recover again.

Noor Jehan left quietly, at least this is what we know so far. Four mist fans were still blowing cool air at her when reporters arrived at the Karachi Zoon having learned about her death Saturday noon.

Karachi Administrator Saifur Rehman said that the authorities did everything for the recovery of Noor Jehan. She was treated under the supervision of international experts and a Four Paws team also visited her at the Karachi Zoo, he said.

“Life and death are in the hand of Allah Almighty. I am saddened at her death,” said Rehman.

The 17-year-old African elephant was living with her pen pale Madubala at Karachi Zoo. Two other elephants live at the Safari Park.

She underwent emergency treatment for a tumour in Karachi on April 5, but collapsed days later and has since lain stricken on its side.

Karachi Zoo director Kanwar Ayub confirmed Noor Jehan’s death on Saturday and an AFP reporter saw her caretaker openly weeping outside her enclosure.

“It’s very sad,” said Four Paws International’s Austria-based chief vet Amir Khalil. “Noor Jehan deserved a chance.”

But the deceased elephant’s pen pal Madhubala “should not have the same future”, he told AFP, saying he plans to arrive in Pakistan on Sunday to assess her health and organise her evacuation.

“Karachi Zoo does not fulfil international standards and is not equipped to take appropriate care of elephants,” the Four Paws International statement said, expressing support for a forced closure.

“It is now more urgent than ever that the remaining elephant, who is mourning her long-time companion, is transferred to a more species-appropriate location as soon as possible, to prevent another potential tragedy.”

This month the 17-year-old African elephant underwent emergency treatment for a tumour which had crippled her back legs, but while in recovery she became trapped in her enclosure’s pool.

Zoo workers hauled out the 3.5-ton pachyderm but she was unable to stand and lay stricken for nine days, “a life-threatening situation for elephants”, said animal charity Four Paws International.

Earlier this week, there were reports that Noor Jehan may be euthanized.

Official waited for the arrival of Amir Khalil.

Khalil, who led the team that treated Noor Jehan for the tumour, told AFP he wanted to have “one last try” at helping the pachyderm recover.

The Four Paws team was expected to return to Karachi Zoo this week, officials told Aaj News.

Meanwhile, Jude, a level one Reiki practitioner started Reiki for Noor Jehan.

Reiki is a Japanese form of energy healing, a type of alternative medicine. Reiki practitioners use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing through which a “universal energy” is said to be transferred through the palms of the practitioner to the patient in order to encourage emotional or physical healing.

In April 2020, a court ordered the only zoo in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad to shut down after poor facilities and mistreatment of the animals there were revealed.

The facility had drawn international condemnation for its treatment of an Asian elephant named Kaavan, who was later airlifted to retirement in Cambodia in a project spearheaded by US popstar and actor Cher, and carried out by Four Paws.

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