Zong, Pakistan’s leading technology services enterprise, has partnered with WWF-Pakistan to strengthen conservation efforts for the endangered Indus River Dolphin (Platanista minor), one of the world’s rarest freshwater dolphin species and an iconic symbol of Pakistan’s natural heritage.
Through its support for WWF-Pakistan’s ongoing Indus Dolphin Conservation Programme, Zong is contributing to enhanced rescue operations, ecological monitoring, community engagement and environmental awareness to help safeguard the species and its fragile river ecosystem.
The partnership was marked by the inauguration of the Indus Dolphin Rescue and Mobile Awareness Ambulance at the WWF-Pakistan office.
The ceremony was attended by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik, Zong Chairman and CEO Huo Junli, WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan, Yang Guangyuan of the Chinese Embassy, and senior representatives of the partner organizations.
Speaking on the initiative, Zong Chief Regulatory Officer Kamran Ali said, “It is a great honour to be part of this moment. For Zong, the Indus Dolphin Rescue Ambulance is a concrete expression of our commitment to inclusive growth and environmental stewardship—a meaningful initiative rooted in the enduring friendship between China and Pakistan.
“For nearly two decades, Zong has established deep roots in Pakistan, remaining dedicated to bridging the digital divide and serving Pakistani society through cutting-edge technologies. We hope this project marks a new beginning, enabling us to better protect the environment and contribute to building an even closer China-Pakistan community.”
WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan said Pakistan is home to an estimated 2,000 Indus River Dolphins, describing it as a remarkable conservation success story.
He said WWF-Pakistan has, since 1992, worked closely with the provincial wildlife departments—particularly those of Sindh and Punjab—alongside other partners and the private sector to rescue and release more than 200 stranded dolphins.
“The addition of this dedicated dolphin ambulance will significantly strengthen our emergency response and monitoring capacity, helping ensure that stranded animals receive timely assistance. This partnership demonstrates how businesses can move beyond conventional corporate philanthropy to invest in practical, measurable conservation solutions,” he added.
Found exclusively in the Indus River system, the Indus River Dolphin has faced decades of habitat fragmentation, shrinking freshwater flows and accidental canal strandings, making it one of the world’s most endangered cetaceans.
The initiative will deploy a specialised mobile rescue and awareness unit covering the largest global population of the Indus River Dolphin between the Guddu and Sukkur barrages in Sindh.
The ambulance will enhance monitoring of stranded dolphins, support timely rescue and safe translocation efforts, engage more than 1,500 fisherfolk and riverine community members as frontline conservation partners, and deliver 50 awareness sessions across remote settlements.
Aligned with Zong’s sustainability pillars of Green and Low Carbon Operations and Inclusive Growth, the partnership reflects the company’s commitment to biodiversity protection and community empowerment, demonstrating that environmental stewardship and socioeconomic development can advance hand in hand towards a more sustainable future for Pakistan.
