Supreme Court Rejects Plea for Importing African Elephants

S
stenews
Tue, May 9, 2023 8:24 PM

Supreme Court Rejects Plea for Importing African Elephants
Asma Sajid, ProPakistani
May 9, 2023

The Supreme Court denied a petition seeking permission to import African
elephants for a zoological garden in Peshawar on Monday.

Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Raja Shafqat Abbasi made a brief remark
during the hearing, citing a July 2020 meeting of the CITES (Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)
Management Authority. The conference determined that the Peshawar Zoo
doesn’t have a suitable environment for the survival of wild African
elephants.

The Peshawar High Court first rejected the case in September 2020. The
Supreme Court heard an appeal from an organization that contested the
ruling. The petitioner, represented by Advocate Niaz Wali Khan, claimed
that they had previously acquired two elephants from Zimbabwe and were
responsible for their feeding and maintenance. Despite this, permission to
import elephants was denied.

The DAG noted how the PHC earlier asked the Ministry of Climate Change to
summon a meeting of the CITES Management Authority of Pakistan following
the first round of proceedings under Section 15 of the Pakistan Trade
Control of Wild Fauna and Flora Act 2012.

The meeting’s goal was to determine if the Peshawar Zoo was adequately
equipped to accommodate and care for elephants. In accordance with the
mandate, in July 2020, a meeting was convened at which it was determined
that the zoo could not provide the appropriate habitat.

As per the present petition, however, representatives from the Zimbabwe
Part Wildlife Department visited the Peshawar Zoo, extensively evaluated
the location, and determined that it was suitable and favorable for
elephants.

https://propakistani.pk/2023/05/09/supreme-court-rejects-plea-for-importing-african-elephants/

Supreme Court Rejects Plea for Importing African Elephants Asma Sajid, ProPakistani May 9, 2023 The Supreme Court denied a petition seeking permission to import African elephants for a zoological garden in Peshawar on Monday. Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Raja Shafqat Abbasi made a brief remark during the hearing, citing a July 2020 meeting of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Management Authority. The conference determined that the Peshawar Zoo doesn’t have a suitable environment for the survival of wild African elephants. The Peshawar High Court first rejected the case in September 2020. The Supreme Court heard an appeal from an organization that contested the ruling. The petitioner, represented by Advocate Niaz Wali Khan, claimed that they had previously acquired two elephants from Zimbabwe and were responsible for their feeding and maintenance. Despite this, permission to import elephants was denied. The DAG noted how the PHC earlier asked the Ministry of Climate Change to summon a meeting of the CITES Management Authority of Pakistan following the first round of proceedings under Section 15 of the Pakistan Trade Control of Wild Fauna and Flora Act 2012. The meeting’s goal was to determine if the Peshawar Zoo was adequately equipped to accommodate and care for elephants. In accordance with the mandate, in July 2020, a meeting was convened at which it was determined that the zoo could not provide the appropriate habitat. As per the present petition, however, representatives from the Zimbabwe Part Wildlife Department visited the Peshawar Zoo, extensively evaluated the location, and determined that it was suitable and favorable for elephants. https://propakistani.pk/2023/05/09/supreme-court-rejects-plea-for-importing-african-elephants/