- By: Paras Batool Sahito
- Sukkur
Sindh, as province known for its rich culture, heritage, and resilience, continues to suffer under the shadow of the feudal system, locally referred to as ‘the Wadera system’. This system not only exploits human lives through bonded labor, intimidation, and poverty traps but also extends its cruelty to animals. A shocking example of this inhumane practice is the cutting of camels’ legs, an act that symbolizes both arrogance and unchecked power of feudal lords.
The Wadera system is a centuries-old feudal structure in rural Sindh. Landlords, often controlling vast agriculture estates, dominate the lives of peasants and workers. The dominance often leads to violence, suppression of dissent, and in many cases, cruelty against animals used as status symbol or tools of intimidation.
Camels are deeply tied to Sindh’s history and culture. Known as “the ships of the desert”, they serve as a means of transport, livelihood for herders, and a cultural emblem in festivals and traditions. In recent case in Saleh pat a locality in Rohri , Sukkur, a young female camel belonging to herder Ghulam Mustafa Shambani wandered into a landlords farmland seeking water.
The landlord accused it of destroying his crops. The camel was tortured by the landlord Umar Malik along with his two servants (Qurban Brohi ,and Rasool bakhsh sheikh), it was tied, beaten, dragged with a tractor, and eventually had one of its legs chopped. This crueltyleft the camel critically injured and the herder devastated, as the camel was not just livestock but his livelihood.
The police registered a case against those three men . while Brohi and Sheikh was arrested, Malik reportedly successful to escape. The names and status of the accused brought public attention to the local landlords in Sindh, who often act above the law. The incident quickly caught the media attention, prompting Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to take the notice. An FIR was lodged under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code related to animals cruelty.
This case is more than just an act of animal cruelty; it reflects the broader abuse of power under the Wadera system. Landlords wield unchecked authority over poor farmers and herders, often using violence as a tool of control. For poor communities, the loss or injury of a camel means not only emotional pain but also economic ruin.
After the Sukkur incident, Pakistan urgently needs stronger animal rights protections and constant enforcement, particularly in rural areas where landlords often intimidate victims into silence. At the same time, awareness campaigns are necessary to change societal attitudes toward animals and vulnerable communities.
The mutilation of a camel in Sukkur is not an isolated event, it is a painful remainder of the cruelty that thrives under feudal dominance and a weak justice systems. Ensuring justice for this camel is not only about animal rights; it is about breaking the cycles of oppression that dehumanizes the poor and normalizes violence. Until decisive action is taken, such cries of pain both human and animal will continue to echo unheard in Sindh’s villages.