ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday constituted a commission as an interim arrangement to look after animals caged in Marghazar Zoo.

According to an order passed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah: “As an interim arrangement, the affairs of the Marghazar Zoo and its funding shall be supervised and managed by a committee headed by Naheed S. Durrani, Secretary Ministry of Climate Change. The other members of the committee shall be Sheikh Anser Aziz, Mayor Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), Dr Anisur Rehman, Chairman Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), and Amer Ali Ahmed, Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA).”

The court order added that the IWMB chairman and the mayor shall forthwith jointly visit the zoo and take all necessary decisions for ensuring safety and welfare of the caged animals.

“In case of any difficulty in implementing the court order, the chairman or a member shall be at liberty to file an application. This interim arrangement shall continue till the next date fixed.”

According to the order, “the committee members shall be jointly and severally responsible for ensuring welfare of the animals caged in the zoo.”

Climate change ministry directed to evolve in the meanwhile a strategy to implement wildlife law for safety and welfare of animals

During the course of arguments, the IWMB chairman said the board was ready to take responsibility to run the zoo. On the court query, he said the board would arrange funding as well as how to run the administration of the zoo on its own.

The secretary climate change and the mayor informed the court that due to paucity of funds, the upgradation of facilities in the zoo was taking time.

Ms Durrani, however, sought two months’ time from the IHC to implement the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Protection and Conservation and Management) Ordinance 1979.

Justice Minallah expressed displeasure over what he termed lethargy of the federal government, adding it had apparently failed to protect the rights of the caged animals.

“Why shouldn’t court issue directions to set these caged animals free in their respective sanctuaries and habitats since they cannot register complaints,” he remarked.

He said it was against Islamic teachings to detain animals by depriving them of the required facilities.

If the government cannot take care of these animals the zoo should be abolished, said the chief justice.

The IWMB chairman alleged that the civic authorities had started a blame game and politics on the zoo and instead of addressing the loopholes and improving the facilities, they were making an excuse on one pretext or the other.

The climate change secretary conceded the fact that the zoo had not been given the required attention. She said society as a whole was unaware of the concept of zoo. She said instead of developing understanding with animals, the visitors tried to make fun of them.

Justice Minallah observed that the federal government, MCI, CDA and the IWMB were jointly responsible for the well-being of the animals. He constituted the commission as a temporary arrangement and asked the climate change ministry to evolve a comprehensive strategy to implement the wildlife law to look after the animals.

Further hearing of the matter was adjourned to April 10.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2020