During the heady days of Pig Flu mania, we reported on the plight of Khanzir, Afghanistan’s only pig. Fearing for their lives, local residents had demanded that the Kabul Zoo quarantine poor Khanzir to protect the country from Swine Flu. After more than two months in lock-down, we can happily report that Khanzir has been released back into, well, the zoo.
"Other zoos abroad told us not to worry ... when people began to realize the disease doesn't come from the pig itself we decided to release the pig," said zoo manager Aziz
Gul Saqib.
According to reports, “Zoo workers used sticks to gently prod [Khanzir] out of his temporary concrete home into his usual enclosure of lush green shrubs and a mud puddle.” Despite winning back his freedom, Khanzir must still contend with long-standing religious and cultural prohibitions against pork. "[Khanzir] is very haram (forbidden) and should not even been looked at. I don't think it should even be in the zoo," said one visitor.
In the meantime, Khanzir will still have to wait for Mr. Gul Saqib to order him a female mate from Europe. However, we can all rest easy knowing that 1) a grave pig injustice has been resolved and 2) Khanzir won’t become breakfast anytime soon.
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