PHC directs KP govt, police to stop cattle smuggling to Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the provincial police officer to take measures to curb smuggling of cattle to Afghanistan to control prices of sacrificial animals for Eidul Azha.

A division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and Justice Abdul Shakoor issued the direction to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through the chief secretary, IGP, CCPO, commissioner and deputy commissioner Khyber district to take strict measures for stopping cattle smuggling especially of cows and buffalos to Afghanistan and submit comments in the case.

The bench issued directions in a writ petition filed by lawyers Ashfaq Khalil and Yasir Khattak, who sought an order of the court to direct the respondents to impose a ban on illegal transportation/export of cattle to Afghanistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During the hearing, Justice Ibrahim Khan said it was very strange that despite the ban, cattle smuggling was being reported. During arguments, Yasir Khattak submitted before the bench that in the past the KP government-imposed ban on the illegal transportation of the cattle to Afghanistan from KP province as well as Pakistan at least for three days of Eidul Azha. He submitted due to cattle smuggling, scarcity of animals occurred in the province and as a result, it burdened locals with high prices for sacrificial animals.

It was also submitted before the court that the above facts are already in the knowledge of the government and general public, but the government did not impose a ban on the animals’ transportation this time ahead of Eid.

The petitioners submitted that the government and respondents, having the knowledge about smuggling of cattle to Afghanistan, kept quiet, which is a question mark on the administration of the respondents and confirmed their lack of interest to take appropriate action against those involved in the illegal transportation of the of cattle to Afghanistan, particularly in the days of Eidul Azha.