The Islamabad High Court on Monday heard the case relating to the alleged culling of stray dogs in the federal capital, as the Capital Development Authority and the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad submitted their framework reports to the court.
The case stems from an incident on October 9, when eyewitnesses reported seeing a Capital Development Authority (CDA) vehicle carrying around 200 dead dogs near the authority’s office. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had issued notice to the CDA and the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), warning them that an FIR would be lodged if any officials were found involved.
Read: IHC orders excessive culling of dogs over FIR
The petitioner’s lawyer Altamash Saeed, CDA lawyer Shahryar Tariq and MCI lawyer Khalid Mahmood attended the hearing.
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, who presided over the hearing, observed that the issue must be approached holistically, taking into account both animal welfare and public safety concerns. He stressed the need “to conclude the matter after a thorough hearing.”
During the proceedings, the court revisited the viral video from October 9 showing dozens of dead dogs in a CDA ambulance vehicle. Justice Soomro remarked, “An FIR will be registered against the driver. When the case progresses, it will reveal on whose orders this happened.”
CDA lawyer Shahryar Tariq confirmed that the truck belonged to the sanitation department and the deceased dogs were recovered from several areas. He said sanitation workers were only removing carcasses, adding: “Some dogs were reportedly killed by citizens or run over by vehicles.”
Tariq also noted that 2,800 Cases of dog bites were reported at PIMS Hospital between January and September, urging the court to consider the wider context rather than focusing solely on welfare.
Justice Soomro questioned the killings, saying: “If each dog costs Rs 19,000, what is the need to kill them? No one can kill so many dogs at once. We will look into this thoroughly.” He reiterated that killing animals is punishable under the Pakistan Penal Code and stressed that the mass deaths required an explanation.
Learn more: IHC orders CDA to vaccinate, not kill stray dogs in Islamabad
The judge added: “We are in the federal capital – if even here petitions are filed for animal rights, it is quite telling. »
A significant development was the presence of Pakistan Republic Party leader Reham Khan who attended the hearing. “Our goal is not for anyone to be prosecuted,” she said. “We only want humane management of stray dogs. We do not receive any funding and are not affiliated with any NGO.”
Even in one of the earlier hearings, Justice Soomro ordered authorities to vaccinate and treat stray dogs instead of culling them, citing the Stray Dog Management Policy, 2020, which promotes humane control of the population through trap, neuter, vaccinate and release (TNVR) methods.
The court ordered the petitioner’s counsel to submit written suggestions on the framework reports of the CDA and MCI and adjourned the matter, with the next hearing to be announced in a written order.
