IWMB submits report on death of animals

DAG tells IHC that he submitted the report as requested by his colleague

ISLAMABAD:

Islamabad Wildfire Management Board (IWMB) has submitted a report in the contempt of court case pertaining to the deaths of animals at the Marghzar Zoo.

A single-member bench of IHC comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case on Monday. Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Tayyab Shah told the court that IWMB has submitted the response following the court orders.

The chief justice said that the court had not issued any order but all was done on the part of the government itself. He asked DAG what was written in the report submitted, to which Shah replied that he was not aware of it while his colleague had asked him to submit the report. The court adjourned the hearing of the case. Owing to condition of the Islamabad Maraghzar Zoo, IHC had ordered relocation of the animals. However, in August two lions died during their relocation from Islamabad Zoo when zookeepers attempted to pry them from their pen by setting ablaze piles of hay.

An ostrich also died in the move. Subsequently, IHC issued show cause notices for contempt of court to IWMB members in the case pertaining to deaths of animals in the federal capital's zoo. In May, the IHC had directed to shift all animals from Islamabad Zoo to other zoos or private sanctuaries, local or abroad, due to the poor state of the zoo, and to protect them from mismanagement at Islamabad Zoo.

The court had also handed over the management of the zoo to Islamabad Wildlife Management Board from Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation. However, once the process of transferring animals to other zoos or private sanctuaries across the country was initiated, it proved to be deadly for some wild animals. At least 10 animals held at the Islamabad Zoo have died during attempts to transfer them to sanctuaries due to the alleged incompetence and negligence of the caretakers.