SC dismisses plea for import of elephants

The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking permission to import two African elephants from Zimbabwe for the Peshawar Zoo.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, heard the petition.

During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Shafqat Mahmood apprised the bench that Pakistan was a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. “According to the convention, elephants cannot be brought [to Peshawar] because of the unhealthy environment as well as animals cannot be kept in cages.”

In this regard, AAG Mahmood said, international experts as well as local ones had written about the non-availability of a suitable environment for elephants, while the provincial government had issued a no objection certificate subject to the permission of the environment department.

Justice Athar Minallah inquired whether the Zimbabwean government had allowed the elephants to be taken away as its permit had not been attached with the case.  

After hearing the arguments, the court rejected the application. An application was first filed in the PHC and then in the Supreme Court to import two elephants for the Peshawar Zoo.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2023.