New conservation initiative aims to strengthen dolphin rescue operations, protect biodiversity and engage river communities across Sindh

Zong has partnered with WWF-Pakistan to launch a dedicated mobile rescue and awareness ambulance for the endangered Indus River Dolphin, expanding conservation efforts for one of the world’s rarest freshwater mammals.

The initiative was inaugurated in Islamabad by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik, alongside Zong Chairman and CEO Huo Junli, WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan and representatives of the Chinese Embassy.

The ambulance will support rescue operations, ecological monitoring, public awareness campaigns and community engagement for the Indus River Dolphin, a species found only in Pakistan’s Indus River system and threatened by habitat fragmentation, declining freshwater flows and accidental canal strandings.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Musadik Malik described the dolphin as a symbol of Pakistan’s natural heritage and said protecting the species requires long-term collaboration between the government, conservation organisations and the private sector. He also acknowledged Zong and the Chinese Embassy for supporting biodiversity conservation alongside broader development initiatives.

Zong Chief Regulatory Officer Kamran Ali said the project reflects the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and inclusive growth, adding that the initiative builds on nearly two decades of the company’s investment in Pakistan while strengthening cooperation between Pakistan and China.

WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan said the country’s Indus River Dolphin population has recovered to around 2,000 animals, describing it as one of Pakistan’s leading conservation success stories. Since 1992, WWF-Pakistan and provincial wildlife departments have rescued and released more than 200 stranded dolphins, with the new ambulance expected to significantly improve emergency response and monitoring capacity.

According to the organisations, the mobile unit will operate across the Guddu-Sukkur river stretch in Sindh, home to the world’s largest remaining population of the Indus River Dolphin. The programme also aims to engage more than 1,500 fisherfolk and riverine residents in conservation efforts while conducting 50 awareness sessions in remote communities.