Balochistan: Several Pets Die After Eating Fish in Kech

Kech: In Balochistan’s Kech district, several domestic animals reportedly died after consuming fish.

According to local sources, small-sized fish known as Kashuk or Ketu, transported from Gwadar to the wider Makran region, were recently distributed. After cleaning these fish, their intestines were fed to chickens and cats, leading to the sudden deaths of various pets, including chickens, cats, and dogs.

Residents claimed that marine pollution might have caused the fish to become toxic, resulting in the animals’ deaths.

However, WWF Pakistan dismissed the possibility of polluted seawater in Gwadar, stating that the fish themselves are not inherently poisonous. Technical Advisor to WWF Pakistan, Muhammad Moazzam Khan, explained that sometimes fish can become toxic after consuming harmful algae. He further suggested that contamination could also occur during transport or storage, or that stale fish intestines might have been responsible for the fatalities.

Khan emphasized that there is no need to fear consuming Gwadar’s sardines, as they are widely exported from Pakistan and considered safe.