Stray dogs maul, kills 8-year-old child in Sadiqabad

SADIQABAD: In a tragic incident, an 8-year-old child was killed by a pack of stray dogs while walking home in Basti Mardan, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The young boy, named Shehbaz, was attacked near his home under the jurisdiction of the Ahmad Hor Lama police station and his body was later found in nearby fields.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has reported a significant rise in dog bites cases.

According to sources in the National Institute of Health (NIH), 7,815 cases of dog bites were reported nationwide last week.

The majority of these incidents were reported in Punjab, with 5,158 cases. In Sindh, 1,975 citizens were injured by stray dogs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 475 cases, while Balochistan saw 91 incidents.

In Azad Kashmir, 112 cases of dog bites were reported, and Gilgit-Baltistan reported 4 cases.

The alarming increase in dog bite cases highlights the urgent need for effective measures to control the stray dog population and ensure the safety of citizens. Public health authorities are urged to take swift action to address this growing concern and implement strategies for vaccination and management of stray animals.