Govt response sought in elephants import case.

PESHAWAR -- The Peshawar High Court has directed the climate change ministry to respond within a fortnight to a wildlife trader's petition against the non-issuance of a no objection certificate to him by the government for importing a pair of elephants from Zimbabwe for the Peshawar Zoo.

A bench consisting of Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Abdul Shakoor directed deputy attorney general Asghar Khan Kundi to ensure the filing of those comments within 15 days and warned if that didn't happen, it climate change ministry would be asked to pay the entire bill for the care, food and other stuff of the pair of elephants kept in Zimbabwe.

It fixed Jan 15 for the next hearing into the petition filed by the Mohammad Hanif and Engineer Construction Limited director, Mohammad Hanif, who sought the court orders for the climate change ministry to grant NOC to him for the early elephant import.

The petitioner prayed the court to direct the ministry to take up the matter with the inspector general of forests and relevant authorities as well.

He also sought orders for the ministry, zoo administration, wildlife secretary, chief secretary and other respondents to pay him Rs92 million spent on the import of elephants since the contract was awarded.

PHC warns if reply not filed, govt to pay for animals' care in Zimbabwe

The petitioner informed the court on the directives of the provincial government he had already purchased a pair of elephants in Zimbabwe that were being taken care of by the local wildlife department and the petitioner had to foot the bill on a daily basis.

He said the ministry had so far not filed comments on the petition despite the court's orders.

Deputy attorney general Asghar Khan Kundi, additional advocate general Barrister Babar Shehzad and Peshawar Zoo deputy director Ishtiaqullah also...

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