IHC disposes of case after IWMB assures of shifting bears abroad

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday disposed of a case after the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) assured the bench regarding shifting of Muragzar Zoo’s two bears to abroad in animal sanctuary.

On the query of the bench, the IWMB’s official informed the court that it had decided to shift the animals to abroad for certain time. The animals would be brought back once the sanctuary was set up here.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the court only wanted to give natural environment to the bears. The court always gave chance to IWMB to take decision on the matter, he said. "We should proud on that the animals rights are protected in Pakistan," Justice Minallah said, adding that the court appreciated the decision of board.

The bench asked that who was responsible for the mistreatment of animals since July 2019. The court had given charge of the zoo to Climate Change Ministry because there was politics on the issue. The question was that whether the ministry fulfilled its responsibility, he said. The ministry’s lawyer adopted the stance that the ministry had never tried to influence the decision of IWMB.

The court said that there was everything in the decision dated July 5, 2019, adding that unfortunately the pair of lions was killed due to poor arrangements but no one took responsibility of it. All the decisions of this court were challenged before the top court by the MCI mayor, the bench said.

The bench noted that the ministry of climate change and federal government were responsible for the miseries of zoo animals. He further remarked that the people get entertainment today with technology instead of animals in cages. The court asked the IWMB to train its people to treat the animals in good way. The bench said that it would issue an order into the matter and disposed of the case.