IHC's judgement on caged animal rights hailed.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- The recent landmark decision of Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the first time in Pakistan has recognised legal rights of caged animals and led to their freedom. It also paved the way for the release of solitary confined non-humans.

While the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) or the Ministry of Climate Change are likely to take a decision on filing of an appeal against the IHC decision in the Supreme Court, animal rights activists have already started citing the judgement for well-being of caged animals.

On May 21, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued the 67-page judgement which said animals in Marghazar Zoo of Islamabad had legal rights and should be moved to appropriate sanctuaries.

The case related to the Marghazar Zoo which houses and exhibits 878 non-human living creatures, including 89 of different 15 species, 769 birds of 38 species and 20 of three species. Notably, the zoo was home to Kaavan, the solitary elephant.

Campaigner in the US says ruling will help in release of two solitary elephants in New York and Connecticut

The IHC decision was welcomed by leading animal rights activists. Leading US singer Cher also celebrated the release of Kaavan to a sanctuary.

She had campaigned for animals and tweeted that the judgement was 'one of the greatest moments' of her life.

The US-based Non Human Rights Project (NHRP) lauded the judgement and expressed the hope that it will strengthen their legal suits for the release of two solitary elephants in the New York and Connecticut states.

'May the NY and CT courts, who have in their hands the fates of elephants Happy and Minnie (both, like Kaavan, held in solitary confinement) soon follow suit to #FreeHappy and #FreeMinnie', tweeted the NHRP on its official account.

Happy the elephant is, contrary to her sunny name, being detained by the Bronx Zoo. A judge in the New York City in February this year dismissed a lawsuit against the Bronx Zoo in which NHRP sought to declare Happy a person with a right to be free. NHRP however challenged the decision in the appellate forum.

Minnie is a wild-born elephant who has been held captive and exploited for over three decades under threat of a bullhook by a traveling circus called the Commerford Zoo.

Elephants held captive and exploited with her, Beulah and Karen, died in September and March 2019, respectively. Minnie is now the sole surviving elephant in the Commerford Zoo.

Reportedly, Commerford Zoo still forces...