ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ombudsman Secretariat on Monday came down hard on civic agencies for failing to devise a policy on stray dogs and not setting up a shelter and vaccination centre as residential sectors, public parks and markets have seen growing number of stray dogs.

Secretary Federal Ombudsman Secretariat Ejaz Ahmed Khan chaired a meeting to discuss the issue related to stray dogs and proposed a shelter and vaccination project.

The meeting was attended by officers of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and the health ministry.

The secretary showed concerns over the failure of stakeholders in devising a policy and setting up a shelter and vaccination centre in line with the orders of Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued in 2020.

Civic agencies told to come up with compliance reports on 22nd

He said last year, the IHC had directed that a policy to neutralise stray dogs and setting up a shelter and vaccination centre, adding that it was a matter of concern that so far all concerned departments had failed to comply with the court’s judgement.

The meeting was informed that approval of a summary for devising a policy about stray dogs was required from the cabinet. To this, the secretary said there was no need to get approval for such a policy from the cabinet rather the departments concerned should finalise the policy at the earliest.

When the secretary asked about the shelter and vaccination project, the CDA officials said they had not received any feasibility and proposal from the MCI in this regard.

The secretary showed his displeasure over the MCI and directed it to move an application to the CDA.

He also asked all stakeholders to come up with compliance reports in the next meeting on Aug 22.

In the past, the CDA/MCI used to kill stray dogs but the IHC stopped them from shooting and poisoning them with the direction to devise a policy to neutralise such dogs.

The IHC had passed the judgement on a petition filed by Faryal Nawaz, the co-founder of an Islamabad-based NGO — Help Welfare Organisation.

Before the IHC’s verdict, personnel from the sanitation directorate of the civic agency used to shoot down stray dogs in residential areas.

When contacted, an MCI official, who attended the meeting, said the corporation, the CDA and capital administration would soon hold a joint meeting to devise a mechanism.

In the next meeting, a progress report would be submitted to the ombudsman office, he added.

When contacted spokesperson for the ombudsman office, Javed Chaudhry, said the office would get the IHC orders fully implemented.

“Today, the secretary expressed displeasure over the failure of stakeholders to implement the IHC orders and the subsequent directive of the ombudsman office,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2022