Protecting rare animal species: Bahria Enclave offers to pay for disputed land

Says it should be given time to vacate its zoo if civic body remains intent on an operation

ISLAMABAD: The management of Bahria Enclave has offered to pay the apex civic body of the federal capital for a disputed piece of land on which it has built a zoo.

However, if the civic body remains intent on clearing the land, the enclave’s management has requested the body to grant it time so that it can vacate the rare animal species at the facility.

This was stated by the Bahria Enclave’s management in a letter sent to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Afzal Latif on Tuesday.

In the letter, Bahria Enclave Technical General Manager Colonel (retired) Tanveer Mahmud stated that the CDA had on November 9 directed them to vacate land measuring 510 Kanals.

In response to the letter, Col Mahmud stated that Bahria Enclave’s management has already cleared over 400 Kanals where CDA “can take possession immediately and we are willing to facilitate the smooth transaction of this.”

The remaining land, measuring around 100 Kanals, has public areas such as a free dispensary, a children’s park and a zoo where some rare and precious animals are kept.

“As you may be well aware that the Bahria Enclave Zoo is by far considered to be one of the best zoos of the twin cities where hundreds and thousands of families visit every month,” Col Mahmud stated.

“Unlike any other zoo, which includes the CDA zoo (Marghazar), animals kept here are looked after round the clock by highly qualified veterinary staff and a living proof of it is the frequent births of rare white lion and tiger cubs, puma cubs, African lion cubs, leopard cubs, Bengal Tiger cubs, Dotted Deer fawns, baby bears, ponies and others,” he added.

Despite the fact that the Bahria Enclave’s management had voluntarily vacated 400 Kanals of land, Col Mahmud noted that it was quite disturbing to learn via news reports and statements of CDA Member Estate Khushal Khan that no matter what, the CDA will carry out an operation in Bahria Enclave.

“Let me reiterate yet again that the Bahria Enclave management is ready to pay for the disputed piece of land and or any other option that stops CDA from conducting an operation literally against innocent animals.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2018.