The news about Sri Lanka gifting two elephants to Pakistan has turned out to be false. Sri Lanka Honorary Counsel Yasin Joya denied making a statement regarding Sri Lankan government’s willingness to gift two elephants to Pakistan.

On April 23, Geo News quoted Sri Lanka Honorary Counsel General Yasin Joya as saying that Sri Lanka will be sending two female elephants to Pakistan — one for the Karachi Zoo and another for Lahore.

“Some social media do miss-quote referring me for this statement,” Yasin Joyia clarified in a tweet on Monday night.

He said that Sri Lankan government has already imposed a ban on gifting any animals.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Pakistan also tweeted a statement clarifying the matter.

“Sri Lanka has not taken action or discussed providing Elephants to the Zoo in Karachi or Lahore, and nor the Government of Pakistan has made any such request,” they said.

Nadia Jamil expresses concern

The incorrect news about Sri Lanka gifting two elephants to Pakistan started circulating a day after the tragic death of Karachi Zoo’s ailing elephant, Noor Jehan.

Actor Nadia Jamil took to Twitter ‘begging’ the Sri Lankan authorities to stop the process.

“I beg Sri Lanka, DO NOT GIVE PAKISTAN ANY ELEPHANTS. NOT until Pakistan develops a policy to protect animals in its zoos and learns to take care of animals as they should be taken care of. Please. No more tragic deaths. Please spare more animals from suffering like Noor Jehan.”

Other celebrities like Anoushey Ashraff and Ahmed Ali Butt also mourned the loss of Noor Jehan and slammed the Karachi authorities for their limited resources.