The fate of a teenage zoo elephant in Pakistan was tragic — and a symbol of much more

By Diaa Hadid,

Abdul Sattar

Published May 6, 2023 at 8:13 AM EDT

As details of Noor Jehan's neglect came to light, the revelations sparked a national conversation about the neglect and abuse of animals in Pakistan — and of vulnerable humans as well.

Diaa Hadid

Diaa Hadid chiefly covers Pakistan and Afghanistan for NPR News. She is based in NPR's bureau in Islamabad. There, Hadid and her team were awarded a Murrow in 2019 for hard news for their story on why abortion rates in Pakistan are among the highest in the world.

See stories by Diaa Hadid

Abdul Sattar

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