LAHORE:
Supreme Court Justice Ayesha Malik has called for “stern punishment” for those involved in animal cruelty, stressing that rabies should be controlled but not through the killing of dogs.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day International Conference on Animal and Environmental Rights at a local hotel in Lahore on Saturday, Justice Ayesha stressed the need for strong measures to ensure animal welfare.
The session, attended by global experts, environmental activists, lawyers and volunteers, aimed to highlight various aspects of animal and environmental rights.
In her speech, Justice Ayesha called for “effective measures” to protect and ensure the welfare of animals in Pakistan. Noting that animals are a vital part of the ecosystem, she praised organizations working towards animal rights and acknowledged their laudable steps.
However, the judge pointed out that Pakistan’s animal welfare index needed significant improvement and called for the development and enforcement of regulations to combat animal cruelty. “Severe punishment for animal cruelty is essential,” she said.
Justice Ayesha also pointed out 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 just as important for animals,” she said.
Referring to the controversial culling of stray dogs, Justice Ayesha noted that the authorities had failed to specify the law under which such acts were permitted during court proceedings.
She condemned the rationale for killing dogs due to rabies, arguing that while the disease needs to be controlled, the procedure should not involve killing the dogs.
“Instead of addressing rabies in stray dogs, efforts are being directed at euthanizing them,” she said.
Justice Ayesha also pointed to the alarming conditions at Lahore’s Tollinton Market and expressed dismay at the mistreatment of animals there. She stressed the need for a comprehensive legal framework to protect the rights of animals and noted the lack of a regulatory body to oversee their welfare.
She argued that animals deserved freedom from thirst and suffering.
In her speech, Justice Ayesha suggested the creation of one or more regulatory bodies for animal welfare, highlighting that committees focused on the environment and disaster management rarely considered animal rights.
The organizer of the conference, lawyer Altamush Saeed, founder of the Environmental and Animal Rights Organization, noted that animals in Pakistan were subjected to extreme cruelty.
