Skip to main content

SC disallows import of elephants for zoo

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea seeking an approval for import of African elephants for a zoological garden in Peshawar. A three-judge SC bench comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Shahid Wahid dismissed the plea. During the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Raja Shafqat Abbasi, through a concise statement, cited a July 24, 2020 meeting of the CITES (Conve­ntion on International Trade in Endan­gered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Management Authority, in which it was held that zoo cannot provide an environment conducive to survival of the wild African elephants. The court had taken up an appeal moved by a firm challenging the Sept 17, 2020 order of the Peshawar High Court, which had also dismissed the case. Filed through Advocate Niaz Wali Khan, the petitioner argued it had already purchased two elephants from the Zimbabwe government, besides bearing the cost of their food and upkeep, but was being denied permission to import them for the Peshawar Zoo. The DAG recalled how the Ministry of Climate Change was earlier directed by the PHC to convene a meeting of the CITES Management Authority of Pakistan during the first round of litigation under Section 15 of the Pakistan Trade Control of Wild Fauna and Flora Act 2012 to assess whether the Peshawar Zoo was suitably equipped to house and care for elephants. In compliance with the directive, a meeting was held on July 24, 2020 in which it was concluded that the zoo could not provide the required environment. The petition, however, claimed that officials of the Zimbabwe Part Wildlife Department visited the Peshawar zoo, thoroughly inspected the site and found it conducive and favourable for the elephants. Earlier in 2020, the Islamabad High Court had ordered relocation of Kaavan, an elephant, from Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo due to the poor state of the facility. Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2023
http://dlvr.it/SnlQnL

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Casualties feared in Dir clashes between FC, intruding militants: reports

LOWER DIR: Casualties are feared on both sides as militants from Afghanistan reportedly attacked Frontier Corps (FC) personnel at multiple locations at the Pak-Afghan border in Maidan area of Lower Dir district on Saturday, as per unconfirmed reports. According to local residents and official sources, there were reports of militants’ infiltration from the Afghan side via the Shahi border area at Lamotai Top, Suripao and Safarai forest. However, the reports were yet to be confirmed by Inter Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing. On getting information about the alleged infiltration, troops of the paramilitary force, FC, led by Captain Yasin, Captain Asfandiar and Subedar Hamza, advanced to block the militants’ movement, as per reports. The militants allegedly attacked the troops, who also retaliated, thus prompting fears of casualties on both sides. The security forces surrounded alleged militants at three different locations. Later, gunship helicopters lau...
Post a Comment
Read more

PM Shehbaz pays tribute to martyred lieutenant, says military ‘cleaning’ Fitna-ul-Khawarij from Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday paid tribute to an officer who embraced martyrdom during an exchange of fire in Tirah Valley’s Bagh area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Khyber district, the Prime Minister’s office said in a notification on Sunday. According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) today, an exchange of fire took place between security forces and terrorists on August 9 during which Lieutenant Uzair Mehmood Malik was injured. He succumbed to his injuries and embraced martyrdom at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) today, it said. “At one of the locations in Bagh, Lieutenant Uzair Mehmood Malik, leading his troops from the front, fought bravely and sent four Khawarij to hell,” the statement said. “However, during an intense fire exchange, the officer got critically injured and was under treatment at CMH Peshawar. Today he succumbed to injuries and embraced Shahadat.” The statement added that the security forces of Pakistan ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Family points finger at PPP MNA, two sons in journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s murder in Ghotki

SUKKUR: Slain journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s mother and two relatives have reiterated the allegation in statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC in a Mirpur Mathelo court that Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA and his two sons had Nasrullah killed through their men. Ms Pathani Gadani, who was complainant in the case, and witnesses, Yaqoub Gadani and Salahuddin Gadani along with their counsel advocate Salahuddin Panhwar appeared before the second civil and first magistrate the other day and told him that PPP MNA Khalid Khan Loond, his sons, Shehbaz Loond, who was chairman of Mirpur Mathelo municipal committee, and Noor Mohammad Loond, had Nasrullah slain but the trio was so powerful that police had not dared include their names in the FIR. They appealed to the court to bring Nasrullah’s real killers to justice as per law and serve speedy justice to the bereaved family. Gadanis’ counsel Salahuddin Panhwar told media persons that the complainant and the witnesses had clearly stated t...
Post a Comment
Read more