Justice Jawad Hassan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) formed a committee on Nov 10, 2021 to examine the loopholes in laws that allow keeping wild animals as pets. Justice Jawad was hearing a petition – filed by the daughter of the Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed – that challenged Section 12 of the Punjab Wildlife […]
On Nov 7, 2021, the Islamabad High Court has imposed a ban on the import of rare breeds of animals. The court has declared that depriving animals of their natural habitat merely for the entertainment of human beings violates fundamental rights. The FBR should ensure that no animals are imported against Animal Act 2012 till […]
Poaching and selling of wild animals continues to go unchecked in Pakistan. Illegal sale of birds and animals nets a monthly income ranging between Rs 200,000 to 500,000. Animals are caught from the forests of Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Murree, Kotli Satyan, and Khushab. A baby monkey costs Rs 30,000 to 40,000, a bear cub […]
Blackbucks and deer at Lal Suhanra National Park The plague that is illegal hunting has threatened the wildlife species of the Punjab for a while now owing to an under-resourced wildlife department. More than 2,000 cases of poaching were reported in 2020 in Punjab, and the number is expected to grow in 2021. The highest […]
The Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) has taken more than 140 spiny-tailed lizards locally known as ‘Sanda’ into custody during a raid in a hilly area of Thatta district. The raiding party of SWD Hyderabad had received an information that some poachers were busy in hunting of lizards in Lonikot, an area of Thatta district. SWD […]
The Canine Center of Punjab Police Special Branch, the only facility harboring sniffer dogs for explosives detection being run by civilian administration, is in a shambles due to a severe shortage of staff. “The center is being run by only 29% of the total designated number of employees,” shared an officer. Only 74 of the […]
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has imposed a fine of Rs 500, 000 on a national entertainment channel for using animals as prop in its program Time Out with Ahsan Khan. A petition was filed against the program, which is hosted by Pakistani film and television actor Ahsan Khan, by lawyer Faizullah Khan […]
Built by the colonial rulers for the purpose of displaying their industrial prowess, Lahore’s Tollinton, is infamous for filth, stench, and ill-treatment of animals. New revelations, adding to oldest market’s infamy, are the unabated trade of stolen animals and birds with the involvement of lower-ranking employees of various government departments. An 11-member committee headed by Commissioner Lahore […]
Aggrieved parties reach a compromise The two German Shepherds that mauled a lawyer in DHA Karachi neighbourhood in June 2021 were “put down”, according to a compromise agreement reached between the canines’ owner and the victim. Rights activists call the agreement between Humayun Khan and Mirza Akhtar Ali Advocate preposterous; and criticized Ayesha Chundrigar for […]
By Jawziya F. Zaman/ May 24, 2020/ Dawn One of the lesser considered aspects of the pandemic-inspired lockdowns was its effect on stray animals. With citizens isolated in homes and restaurants closed, most were unable to scrounge for food. But it wasn’t just hunger that was killing them. Why do we, as a society, continue […]