F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Lying in a supine position on a roadside stall, around a dozen of long size wild lizards looked unconscious or dead, but the harsh reality behind this strange position of the reptile is that their back bones are broken by the captors to avoid escape.
The vendors, mostly quacks, who set up stalls in different commercial areas are busy in convincing passerby to buy oil extracted from lizard skin as a cure for back and joints pain. They also claim it to be as `aphrodisiac’, a common practice of deceiving common people in the name of curing impotency.
The most brutal and grisly act in selling `Sanda oil’ practice is witnessed when the quack gets an order for oil, he cuts the stomach of already hurt reptile and put the carcass in the heated fry pan after removing the internal organs.
The oil obtained after burning of the carcass is sold for a meager amount of Rs. 100 per 10 grams.
The callous captor has no sense to realize the cruelty he is doing with the reptile for sake of earning a meager amount of money and that too in the name of deception.
“This is our profession, we catch these reptile with great difficulty and sell oil extracted from their skin,” says a vendor while talking with this correspondent in Raiwind (Lahore).
“We are poor people and this is our only source of earning through which we fulfill our household needs,” he argued in response to a question about callousness of the practice.
“For our own survival we have to do this because we have no option,” the vendor continued who did not disclose his identity.
“This is very cruel practice which is not only prohibited but punishable under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity Act 2015,” observed Niaz Muhammad, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Wildlife Extension KP.
The practice is also in violation of `Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1890’ , Niaz told APP.
He said these are spiny-tailed lizard, a brown reptile, and is mostly found in desert areas of Punjab and Sind provinces.
The captors break back bones of the lizard because of its agility and to avoid its escape. Vertebrate column was broken by hitting with a hammer, hard instrument and bending their backbone.
“It is very painful activity and is going on across the country and needed to be stopped forthwith,” comments, Hamera Aysha, Focal Person WWF-Pakistan.
She stressed on media to play its role in curbing this practice and for saving wild species from brutal killing.
“In a recent hearing when a captor of lizards arrested by Wildlife department was presented in the court of Senior Civil Judge Abbotabad , the Judge remarked that he want to break finger of this person so that he should realize the pain being felt by these reptiles,” informed Abdul Rasheed, Senior Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Abbotabad Division.
The captor, Nawab from Pakpattan, had brought 204 lizards to Abbotabad for supplying to a quack, Abdul Rasheed told media.
The honorable judge was so angry over the cruel practice that he directed for sending the captor to jail and refused bail application, he added.
SDFO Abbotabad said the Wildlife department seized the lizards from a public transport near Havelian on March 8, 2018.
On pointation of Nawab, another raid was conducted in Abbotabad district and 10 more lizards were seized from the quack.
Rasheed said all these lizards cannot be saved by releasing them in the wild because their back bones are broken and it would be impossible for them to survive in natural habitat to which they belong.
About the punishment he said, according to Wildlife rules the captor has first to pay a price for each lizard at the rate of Rs. 3000. For all the 204 lizards he has to pay an amount of Rs. 612,000.
After payment of that, he can be punished with a fine of Rs. 45, 000 by the court, he added. Rasheed said in case the captor fails to submit the penalty and price of lizard, he can face imprisonment as decided by the court.
Wildlife department is keeping a strict vigil over the practice and arrest anyone found in such business, Naiz added.
It merits a mention here that apart from street vendors, sale of Sanda oil is also available on social media websites including Facebook.
“Sanda oil is a patent ayurvedic medicine for blissful and happy life, stress free mind, good health and cool life style,” reads an add posted on the website of a beauty saloon offering free home delivery of 12 gram of Sanda oil in Pakistan at a price of Rs. 749.
The website also claims that Sanda oil does not have any side effect if administered properly and with right dosage of oil application.
“The concerned Wildlife departments should take action against sale of Sanda oil on social media,” observed Saeed-ul-Islam, Field Manager WWF-Pakistan.
In response to a question about effectiveness of Sanda oil in curing muscular pains or other diseases as claimed by sellers, Saeed said these are all myths.
Most of the buyers of this oil are illiterate people who are easily deceived by quacks, he added.
