ISLAMABAD: A petition has been filed in Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah took up a petition seeking proper care of Kavaan the elephant in Marghazar Zoo.

During the hearing, counsel for Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) conceded before the court that zoos in Pakistan were not as per international standards.

Justice Minallah remarked that in such situation when the government could not provide living environment to animals they might be shifted to sanctuaries.

The court issued notices to the MCI, Capital Development Authority and other respondents and sought their reply in fortnight.

Earlier in February, MCI had conditionally decided to release Kavaan if an international charity organisation helped upgrade the zoo.

In November last year, representatives for the charity organisation, Free the Wild, met the then information minister, Fawad Chaudhry, and officers of relevant formations, requesting them to release the elephant.

The organisation had offered its help in upgrading the zoo.

Later, its representatives, Marke Cowne, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne and Anika Saleem, told a press conference that an understanding had been reached for the development of the zoo.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2019