LAHORE, Oct 15: The Lahore High Court has dismissed the plea that the fundamental rights to security of life and trade (Articles 9 and 18 of the constitution) are violated in depriving a man of his bear.

The owner of a young black bear, Maddah Husain, had asked the superior judiciary through a constitutional petition to adjudicate if the security of his life was jeopardized by the Punjab Wildlife Department, which had deprived him of the only source of his livelihood by taking away the bear and placing it in a cage in the Lahore Zoo about six months ago.

Mr Husain, a street entertainer, submitted that he was being subjected to discrimination because many others were roaming around the city streets with such animals.

The court, however, dismissed the plea on grounds of violation of animal rights, ruling that it was unethical and illegal to imprison other souls.