Darakshan police have registered a case against a woman over charges of killing a cat in a 'road accident' in Karachi's Defence Housing Authority area under the directives of the local court, police said on Saturday.

“We have registered a first information report against the woman under Section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the lawyer,” said Darakshan SHO Arshad Janjua.

The officer said that the cat was injured when the woman's car hit it in Phase 8 on February 1. It remains unclear if it was someone's pet or a stray.

A lawyer, Faiq Ali, who had witnessed the incident demanded treatment of the wounded cat, but the woman did not agree to take any responsibility. He then approached the police for lodging an FIR against the woman but the police refused to do so.

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The advocate later approached the court, contending that animal rights are protected the world over. The police also argued before the judge that if the case can be registered, then the complainant should also be nominated as he allegedly "did not help to shift the injured cat to a veterinary hospital for treatment due to which the cat died".

However, the court rejected the police’s version and directed them to register a case against the errant woman driver.

So far, no one has been arrested in the case.

Section 429 reads: "Whoever commits mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming or rendering useless, any elephant, camel, horse, mule, buffalo, bull, cow or ox, whatever may be the value thereof, or any other animal of the value of fifty rupees or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with both."