Keeping the best cut: Court slaps ban on animal export, for now

A petition challenges issuance of export licences to two new companies.

ISLAMABAD:

A local court on Tuesday slapped a ban on the export of animals, for now.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) chided the government for issuing new licences to two contractors allowing them to export animals.

The court summoned officials of the Ministry of Food Security and Research and the Animal Husbandry Commissioner on Wednesday to explain why the government has issued licences despite a shortage of animals in the country, especially with regard to Eidul Azha which is a few week away.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Asif Trading Company, which exports animals to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, challenging issuance of licences to two other companies --- Lahore Meat Company and Makken, a Karachi-based company.



The petitioner’s counsel, Khawaja Zaheer, argued that the Animal Husbandry Commissioner had issued licences to the two companies this year while his client’s company had been in the business since 2009.

He alleged that chances of animal smuggling would increase if two new companies are allowed to export animals.

Lahore Meat Company’s counsel, Iftikhar Bajwa, informed the court that through Pakistan Animal Quarantine (Export and Import of Animal and Animal Products) Ordinance 1979, live animals can be exported.

Justice Siddiqui pointed out that people in the country are already facing a shortage of live animals. “This is a serious public-interest issue and consumers are facing problems, especially during Eid when prices of animals increase’’ he observed.

Jinnah Avenue standoff case

In a separate case, a division bench of the IHC comprising Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan and Justice Siddiqui issued notices to the government, seeking a response by September 30 in response to a bail application filed by Jinnah Avenue stand-off gunman Sikandar’s wife Kanwal.

On September 5, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had rejected the Kanwal’s bail. She has been in Adiala Jail since August 31. The couple had been booked by the Islamabad Police on charges of terrorism and attempted murder, among other counts.

During the course of hearing on Tuesday, Kalsoom Khaliq, representing the defendant, argued that her client had no involvement in the case and was completely unaware of the incident.

She argued that Kanwal was acting upon her husband’s instructions in order to protect her children who were present at the site. She requested the court to accept her client’s bail application and order her release. The bench admitted the petition for hearing and sought the state’s response.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2013.