ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed the authorities on Tuesday to complete the investigation into recent animal deaths at the Islamabad Zoo and submit the report by August 11.
The case was heard before IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, who expressed annoyance at the authorities, including the Ministry of Climate Change, Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA), over failure to safeguard animals.
The members of the Wildlife Management Board are responsible for the deaths of the animals, remarked Justice Minallah. The minister of climate change, CDA chairperson, are all on the board, he noted.
Ministry of Climat Change Secretary Naheed S Durrani appeared before the court.
Those who are responsible for the deaths of the animals are also the ones investigating the matter, remarked Justice Minallah. The federal cabinet has appointed the advisor, special assistant, the minister, all as board members, he added.
Addressing Durrani, Justice Minallah remarked that the court could see that everyone is merely interested in taking credit and taking control of the zoo. Pakistan's governance system is also reflective of this process, he said.
Everyone is playing politics; do not tarnish the name of the country in this way, remarked Justice Minallah. The entire world witnessed the cruelty dolled out to the animals here, he said, holding the CDA chairperson, the MCI and the environment secretary responsible. Animals cannot be taken away from their natural sanctuaries, he added.
The Gazette notification of the formation of the Wildlife Management Board had not been issued, stated Durrani before the court.
The court had directed that the board be constituted, and the federal cabinet gave its approval, observed Justice Minallah. Only the federal cabinet can overturn the decision of the federal cabinet, he remarked.
Durrani produced before the court a new notification issued by the board members. Justice Minallah inquired as to who was the minister in-charge of the federal cabinet according to the notification presented.
The prime minister's representative was the minister in-charge, replied Durrani.
It is shameful to try to confuse the matter, remarked Justice Minallah. He directed her to identify all the board members and submit the report before the court.
The deputy attorney general informed the court that an FIR has been registered against unidentified individuals for the deaths of the animals.
It's easy to take credit but difficult to claim responsibility, remarked Justice Minallah, adding that an FIR ought to be lodged against all members of the wildlife management board.
The court sought the report on the matter by August 11 and adjourned the hearing till next week.
Animals at the zoo are being transferred to other zoos or private sanctuaries across the country following directions from the IHC to protect them from mismanagement at the zoo. However, the process has proved to be deadly for some wild animals.
So far, as many as 10 animals held at the zoo have died over the past month during attempts to transfer them to sanctuaries due to the alleged incompetence and negligence of the caretakers.
In May, the IHC had directed to shift all animals from Islamabad Zoo to sanctuaries, local or abroad, due to the poor state of the zoo.
The court had also handed over the management of the zoo to Islamabad Wildlife Management Board from Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Climate Change has set up a high-level inquiry committee to probe the deaths of animals at the Islamabad Zoo.
A statement issued by the ministry last week, stated that committee will be chaired by the Ministry of Climate Change Additional Secretary Joudat Ayaz, and it will look into the causes of the recent deaths of animals at the zoo including lions, ostrich and other animals if any.
Muhammad Saleem, the ministry’s media focal person and deputy director, said that the IHC had tasked the board to ensure the safe and harmless transfer of animals from the zoo to wildlife sanctuaries. But, it has been brought to the notice of the ministry that deaths have occurred due to poor management and poor feeding arrangements over which the ministry was quite concerned, he said.
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