Finally, after 7 long months of the Nowzad team having to endure the relentless pressure of the media and too many MPs (who should have known better) pushing the false and damaging narrative of Operation Ark being ‘pets over people’ we have been proven right.
The mental stress and anguish cannot be down played.
Many of us were close to giving up, Pen (Nowzad founder) was extremely low at times. The press just jumped on the bandwagon regardless of whether the story was true or not. Even with our proof that no Afghans were left behind because of our chartered flight or that Pen had stayed behind to evacuate both the Nowzad staff and our animals was ignored.
Even more galling was the constant accusations that British troops had risked their lives to escort ‘pets’ into Kabul airport. NO SOLDIERS were even at the gate when Pen and the team attempted to enter Kabul airport (on both occasions).
Sadly, now with the horrific war in Ukraine unfolding, the letter of confirmation from Lord Tariq that Nowzad had always been telling the truth will mostly be ignored by the media and definitely by those MPs who were wrong. To this day we still receive hate mail and abuse via email and our social media channels. It does become extremely depressing at times.
But it is time to move on. Hopefully with the forthcoming documentary that we know is being made and if we can convince Pen to write his forth book detailing the events of Operation Ark, then Nowzad once more can be known for the life saving animal welfare work we have always strived to do.
To read the letter from Lord Tariq to the Foreign Select Committee please click the link here and if you can please share on your own social media with the #operationark #nowzad Thank you