Death of animals at Marghazar Zoo: IHC grants time for submission of reply

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday granted time to Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam to submit replies in a contempt of court case related to the death of animals at the Marghazar Zoo of the federal capital.

A single bench of IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the matter pertaining to the show-cause notices for contempt of court proceedings against the Minister of Climate Change and the Wildlife Management Board members.

During the hearing, Justice Minallah remarked that animals were not meant to be kept in cages or zoos.

He added that how would you feel if someone locked you up in a cage for even two hours.

The IHC CJ further said that men had no right to be cruel towards those who could not speak for themselves.

The court observed that everyone comes to take credit but no one takes responsibility when animals die.

He stated that they had even heard that some wildlife officials steal the food kept for animals.

It maintained that the court would first determine who was responsible for the deaths of two lions in Islamabad Zoo.

Justice Minallah stated that new Wildlife Board was not printed in the gazette and the prime minister was a member of the board according to the old notification but he would not be even aware of what happened at the zoo.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman requested the court to accept his unconditional apology and withdraw the show-cause notice served to him.

Justice Minallah said that influential board members make junior workers scapegoats.

He said that the Ministry for Climate Change took the responsibility but stepped back when things went wrong.

Later, the bench deferred the hearing till September 25 for further proceedings in this regard.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020