PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench has sought a detailed report from the provincial government about different issues related to the Peshawar Zoo, including death of animals and educational qualifications of staff members, especially veterinarians.

Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Ijaz Anwar Khan expressed displeasure at the poor state of affairs in Peshawar Zoo and wondered how the zoo could be run in a makeshift manner.

The bench fixed Oct 22 for the next hearing into a petition, which sought an inquiry and the fixing of responsibility for negligence in the zoo, which led to the death of various animals in the recent months.

The petition was jointly filed by 24 civil society activists, including Dr Ali Jan, Dr Adil Zareef, Jahan Mahmud Aurangzeb, Rukhsana Kuli Khan Khattak, Farzana Khan Wasim and others.

The petitioners sought the court’s orders for improvement of conditions in the zoo in line with international standards.

Wonders how zoo can be run in makeshift manner

They also prayed the court to order the return of the animals, which are not suited to the environment of Peshawar, to their natural habitats or suitable sanctuaries, and immediate shifting from the zoo.

The petitioners said there should be a ban on the shifting of animals that are not suited to the environment of Peshawar, to the zoo.

Advocate Ali Gohar Durrani appeared for the petitioners pro bono and pointed out that the government had admitted in its comments on the petition that the Peshawar zoo was still under construction.

He said those comments clearly showed that there was no proper plan available for the running of the zoo and instead, stopgap arrangements had been made for that purpose.

The lawyer said one of the zebras had died of head injuries in the zoo.

Justice Qaiser Rashid expressed annoyance at the poor care of animals in the zoo and wondered if the place was a zoo or a slaughterhouse.

Ali Gohar Durrani said the Peshawar Zoo should be made an environmentally-friendly place by plantation of trees in line with international standards and that members of the properly trained and experienced staff should be hired to look after animals at the zoo.

He said a laboratory should be established for the diagnosis and prescription of any medicine to the unwell animals.

The lawyer said the final relief was in the establishment of an animal rescue and treatment centre, which should be especially responsible for stray animals that live in our society, wherein vaccination and neutering of stray animals could be done to ensure that various diseases such as rabies is avoided and their population is controlled.

Additional advocate general Syed Sikander Hayat Shah contended that steps had been taken for the improvement of conditions in the zoo.

He said the number of animals had gone up as several had given birth to cubs.

Lawyer Durrani pointed out that in the past, civil society members had cautioned against the establishment of a zoo in Peshawar over various reasons when the government announced it had selected a place in Qadirabad area on Palosi Road for the purpose.

He, however, said the last PTI government went ahead with the plans and inaugurated the zoo in Feb 2018.

The lawyer said ever since, there had been news of dozens of animals dying in captivity, including a snow leopard, giraffes, zebra, deer and others, raising concerns about the conditions in Peshawar Zoo.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2020