An era of dread has loomed over Pakistan where Camels have been subjected to severe brutality. Camel fighting continues regardless of the sport being illegal. Thousands gather on the sidelines as caravans of camels, adorned with traditional accessories are brought forth to fight.
The masses scream and shout as camels lumber across the dusty pitch to contest against each other. This festival is a long held tradition in the Central city of Layyah. Dhols and dins are played in the background to keep the anticipation of the Camel’s arrival as the crowd awaits the inevitable. The decorative and festive garlands are taken of the camels before the fight begins.
Finally, the games begin.
As the camels start fighting they attack each other with their teeth and necks to get an upper hand on the opponent. The goal is to pin the adversary to the ground in order to gain victory. During the painful fight, a lot of grunts and groans escape the camels.
“It is a cultural fair and people came here to see it with passion and zeal,” spectator Atiqur Rehman told AFP
Finally the fight comes to an end. The referee announces the winner and as a result, passionate spectators gather around the triumphant camel in a circle. Price money of 10,000 rupees is awarded to the owner of the victories camel, who celebrates his success sitting proudly atop the camel’s back.
Although there is a ban on camel fighting in Pakistan, this festival in Layyah attracts a lot of people.
This era of dread has since long targeted other animals as well- dogs, cocks, horses, bears are a few animals among several others who have been forcefully subjected to this brutality.
“According to the Pakistani law, all animal fights are illegal,” said lawyer Abdul Ahad Shah of the Animal Welfare Organization. He further informed that proper medical attention is never given to the camels who get injured during the fights. “Villagers use local remedies to treat wounds. It’s cruel,” Shah elaborated.
Those who are passionate about the fights, dismiss the criticism saying that this is a tradition that Punjabis hold very dear to their hearts. The animals are trained for one year before they are ready to fight.
The local elder Mohammad Ali Jatoi said that these fights, “shows our culture.” He further explained that these fights provide a distraction for people from the other dilemmas in their lives.
Though these fights are widely known facts, Pakistan does next to nothing to thoroughly reinforce these bans. An amendment to its Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Bill was passed last year where it was suggested that the fine should be increased from 50 rupees to 300,000 rupees on those who commence these fights. The original law that was made by the British in 1890 stays the same. The Muslims have also been told by the Koreans to nullify any activities in regards to animal fighting.
The local media reported that many political leaders have tried to list the popular Selcuk Camel Wrestling Festival held in Turkey, on the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage List agencies. The practice of camel fighting goes several thousand years back and is very frequent in Afghanistan and The Middle East.
