Murtaza Wahab has called for immediate culling of stray dogs across Karachi, rejecting neutering as too slow, after hospitals reported a sharp surge in dog bite cases early this year. He said authorities must act decisively because delayed measures are failing to protect citizens as daily bite reports continue rising across multiple neighbourhoods, increasing public fear and pressure on health facilities.
According to official data, more than 800 dog bite cases were recorded during the first five days of 2026, highlighting a rapidly escalating public health emergency. Meanwhile, major hospitals reported heavy patient inflows, showing the crisis is widespread rather than isolated, with victims ranging from children to working adults requiring urgent medical care.
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Hospital officials said around 850 cases were logged citywide, with Indus Hospital and Civil Hospital each treating about 300 patients, while Jinnah Hospital reported more than 250 cases. Doctors confirmed all patients received anti-rabies vaccines, stressing prevention remains the only effective defence against the fatal disease.
Dr Aftab Gohar said one 41-year-old man required finger amputation due to severe tissue damage and disrupted blood flow following a dog bite. He added most cases came from Korangi, Hub Chowki, Baldia Town, Landhi, and Gadap Town, showing the crisis disproportionately affects densely populated and peripheral areas.
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The issue has also triggered political backlash, as Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Emir Munim Zafar criticised the mayor, linking dog bite incidents to broader civic failures including unsafe infrastructure and sewage-related deaths. He further accused the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of contributing to Karachi’s long-term urban decline through inconsistent governance.
Public concern intensified after a Jacobabad boy died of rabies at Indus Hospital in late December, two months after being bitten by a stray dog. That death pushed rabies-related fatalities in Sindh last year beyond 21, underscoring the deadly consequences of delayed intervention.