South Punjab Stray Dogs Crackdown Ordered

A 12-year-old girl died after a pack of more than a dozen stray dogs attacked her on her way to a madrassa in Bahawalnagar, and the South Punjab administration has now ordered a stray dogs crackdown across the region.

The girl was attacked in Basti Yaseen, Akooka Hathar, near Mandi Madressa, on Sunday. She was on her way to a madrassa when the pack set upon her. Her death has prompted an emergency response from the South Punjab administration, which met on Tuesday to review the growing number of dog-bite cases in the region.

Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Fawad Hashim Rabbani chaired the meeting. He expressed deep sorrow over the girl’s death and voiced anger over the performance of the Bahawalnagar deputy commissioner.

Stray dogs crackdown: officials told to show results

Deputy commissioners from all South Punjab districts joined the meeting through video link. They shared details of the steps they have taken to remove stray dogs and vaccinate pet dogs in their districts.

Rabbani directed every deputy commissioner to identify areas with large numbers of stray dogs and take strong action to control the problem. He told the Rajanpur and Vehari administrations to improve their efforts after a rise in dog-bite cases was reported in both districts.

He made it clear that reports and figures alone would not be accepted. Deputy commissioners must visit the affected areas themselves and show real progress on the ground, he said.

The meeting also ordered officials to launch the campaign against stray dogs properly and to take strict action against false reports about their removal. Rabbani directed immediate legal action against pet dog owners if their animals attack people. He said all administrative officers must regularly check municipal services so that effective steps are taken to protect people from dog attacks.

A problem that has grown across the region

The emergency meeting was called because dog-bite cases have risen across South Punjab, not only in Bahawalnagar. District officers reported their own figures at the meeting, and the administration’s response suggests the numbers were high enough to demand action beyond routine municipal work.

Stray dogs are a familiar sight in towns and villages across the region, and packs can be dangerous for children walking to school or madrassa alone. The Bahawalnagar attack shows how quickly a routine walk can turn fatal when a large pack is involved. Stray dogs have caused trouble elsewhere too: in Sindh, they have threatened the polio drive, with vaccination teams facing attacks from dogs during rounds.

The crackdown will test whether district administrations can deliver more than paperwork. Rabbani’s instruction to visit affected areas and show real progress sets a clear standard: the campaign will be judged on what changes on the streets, not on what is written in reports.

For residents, the order carries two practical messages. Stray packs should be reported to the district administration, which now has direct orders to act. And pet owners face legal action if their dogs attack people, so keeping dogs vaccinated and under control is no longer a private matter.

South Punjab has seen other signs of its wildlife returning this year. Nine rare vultures were spotted in Rajanpur district, raising hopes that the birds are returning to parts of the region. The contrast is sharp: one species is welcomed back, while another has become a danger that the administration must now control.

Public services in Punjab have been under strain in other areas too. Cancer patients in Punjab have been left without vital medicines, and a medicines scam at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital has drawn the ombudsperson’s attention. The stray dog crackdown is one more test of whether district officers can turn orders into services that reach people.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in Bahawalnagar?

A 12-year-old girl died after a pack of more than a dozen stray dogs attacked her on Sunday while she was on her way to a madrassa in Basti Yaseen, Akooka Hathar, near Mandi Madressa.

Who ordered the crackdown?

Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Fawad Hashim Rabbani ordered it at an emergency meeting on Tuesday, after reviewing the growing number of dog-bite cases across the region.

Which districts were told to improve?

Rajanpur and Vehari were singled out and told to improve their efforts after a rise in dog-bite cases was reported in those districts.

What happens to pet owners whose dogs attack people?

Rabbani directed officials to take immediate legal action against pet dog owners if their animals attack people.