LAHORE:
Supreme Court Justice Ayesha Malik called for “strict punishment” for those involved in animal cruelty, stressing that rabies should be controlled, but not by culling dogs.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day International Conference on Animal Rights and Environment at a local hotel in Lahore on Saturday, Justice Ayesha stressed the need for strong measures to ensure the welfare of animals.
The session, attended by global experts, environmental activists, lawyers and volunteers, aimed to highlight various aspects of animal rights and the environment.
In her speech, Justice Ayesha called for “effective measures” to protect and ensure the welfare of animals in Pakistan. She highlighted that animals are a crucial part of the ecosystem and commended organizations working for animal rights, recognizing their laudable measures.
However, the judge stressed that Pakistan’s animal welfare index needed to be significantly improved and called for the development and enforcement of regulations to combat animal cruelty. “Strict penalties for animal cruelty are essential,” she said.
Justice Ayesha also emphasized that the relationship between humans and animals was a natural creation. “Just as humans have basic rights such as access to food, clean air and water, these rights are also essential for animals,” she said.
Referring to the controversial culling of stray dogs, Justice Ayesha noted that during court proceedings, authorities had not clarified the law under which such actions were permitted.
She condemned the justification for culling dogs because of rabies, saying that while the disease needs to be controlled, the approach should not involve killing dogs.
“Instead of fighting rabies in stray dogs, efforts are directed towards their elimination,” she said.
Justice Ayesha also highlighted the alarming conditions at Tollinton Market in Lahore, expressing dismay over the mistreatment of animals. She stressed the need for a comprehensive legal framework to safeguard animal rights, highlighting the absence of a regulatory body to oversee their welfare.
She asserted that animals deserved to be free from thirst and suffering.
In her speech, Justice Ayesha suggested the establishment of one or more animal welfare regulatory bodies, pointing out that committees focused on environment and disaster management rarely took animal rights into account.
The organizer of the conference, lawyer Altamush Saeed, founder of the Environment and Animal Rights Organization, noted that animals in Pakistan were subjected to extreme cruelty.
