Legal Battle Looms Over Islamabad Zoo Reestablishment

News Desk

Islamabad: Concerned citizens and experts are urging the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to respect the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict on the Islamabad Zoo.

Submitting a proposal to the Federal Cabinet for the reestablishment of the zoo in Islamabad would constitute a clear violation of the IHC verdict, and it ought to be contested in court.

They emphasized that any attempt by the CDA to confine or restrain wild animals would be strongly opposed. Such actions represent a severe form of cruelty, especially considering the CDA’s lack of technical and financial capacity to reclaim the land for zoo establishment.

They were speaking in a webinar organized by Devcom-Pakistan and DTN.

Z B Mirza, a renowned biodiversity expert, remarked that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) cannot deceive the cabinet into making a favorable decision on its summary, especially in light of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict. The IHC ruling explicitly called for “ending cruelty against the animals and freeing them in their habitats.”

He expressed that the CDA’s endeavor to reestablish the zoo in Islamabad and acquire the land is deemed “mischievous by dishonest officials.” They are aware of their inability to achieve it genuinely and are resorting to misleading the Federal Cabinet. He emphasized that biodiversity enthusiasts would not endorse any unwarranted decision by the CDA Board or the Federal Cabinet, making it unequivocally clear.

Dr Ejaz Ahmed, another biodiversity expert, said, “Though zoos play an important role in education and awareness regarding different species and their behavior, if animals are kept with care. But we have seen that due to poor management and care, the majority of species are depressed and kept in a very unhygienic environment which results in their poor health conditions and strange behavior.”

We have seen that in the past animals like elephants in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad were not treated well, they were tied with chains resulting in permanent injury and ultimately had to be sent out of Pakistan for treatment, Dr Ejaz added.Afia Salam, an environmental journalist, suggests establishing wildlife learning centers instead of zoos. As perspectives evolve over time, what was acceptable in the past may no longer be suitable now. Like many other issues, the question of having a zoo is undergoing renewed discussion.

This comes after the closure of the previous zoo, which gained international attention for its appalling conditions for animals through the ‘Save Kavaan’ campaign.

Salam expressed that zoos are outdated, particularly in our country where we seem stuck in the past century. Wild animals endure miserable conditions, often malnourished and diseased, lacking sufficient trained caregivers.

Rina Saeed Khan, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board chairperson, said the reopening of Islamabad Zoo should not be brought onto agenda of last cabinet meeting without thoroughly consulting law and climate change ministries.

The now-closed Islamabad Zoo was handed over to Islamabad Wildlife Management Board in July 2019 by the Federal Cabinet following the IHC orders given all the deaths of animals inside the old zoo.

She said, “In 2020 when the Islamabad Zoo was shut down by the landmark judgment of the IHC under the writ petition number 1155/2019 which was not challenged, the IWMB converted the site into the only wildlife rescue center of its kind in Pakistan, helping all species of wild animals in distress.”

Since its formal inception in 2021, the centre has successfully rescued and rehabilitated approximately 381 animals. IWMB rescues orphaned and injured wildlife in order to implement the IHC order in the judgment of WP 1155/2019 which specifically states that “No animal is treated in a manner that subjects it to unnecessary pain and suffering, Rina Saeed maintained.

She said the IWMB Board has also approved detailed plans, in consultation with international experts of Join Hands, an INGO, to open a Visitor Information Centre for the public as part of the Margalla Wildlife Centre.

On January 29th 2024, without consulting or informing IWMB, CDA Board decided to “reclaim” the Islamabad zoo and re-open it as a zoo “of international standards” during their meeting.

The CDA Board was misinformed that “IWMB had failed to make use of the facility”. The CDA Board has now approved the proposal and asked officials concerned to approach the federal government with their request to take back administrative control of the now closed zoo. This is clearly against the IHC orders.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed said, IHC verdict cannot be violated in any case by anyone, the concerned citizens will protest against it if done by the CDA or the Federal Cabinet.

In the past, we have seen caged animals living in miserable conditions. CDA had failed to impart any wildlife education previously, and it has no technical, managerial or financial capacity to run the zoo again. So, citizens will not allow CDA to repeat the same misery again, Munir Ahmed added.

IWMB can do the children’s learning about the wild animals through screening of films and pictorial lectures once the government gives funds to make the new Visitors Centre at the location of the old zoo. It has turned into a wonderful park now where relevant tableaus can also be staged, the environmentalist maintained.