SHC orders medical examination of zoo elephants by German expert

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to get the four zoo elephants of Karachi Zoological Garden and Safari Park examined by renowned German veterinary Doctor Frank Goritz.

SHC orders medical examination of zoo elephants by German expert

By Maqbool Ahmed

The directions came from a two-judge bench headed by Justice Irfan Saaddat Khan while hearing a petition regarding the ill-keeping of elephants at Karachi Zoo and Safari Park.

When the petition was taken up for hearing the counsel for KMC pleaded for dismissal as it was against the national interest.

Abbas Laghari, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the petition aimed at drawing courts attention to deteriorating health of the elephants and it contained nothing against national interest.

The petitioner’s counsel requested the court to get the elephants medically examined by a foreign veterinary doctor.

The KMC which on the last date of hearing had offered medical examination of elephants from a foreign veterinary, however, opposed the request. It contended that the elephants were in good health.

On this Justice Irfan observed that KMC counsel’s behavior was showing that the elephants were not in good health.

The KMC counsel submitted that keeping elephants at Zoo is perfectly legal and they were being properly taken care of.

He submitted that Karachi Zoological Garden and Safari Park had been keeping elephants for decades and there had never been any complains about their health.

Two elephants died at Karachi Zoo after attaining ages of more than sixty years while elephant normally lived for 50 years, the KMC counsel submitted and added that KMC was ready to get four elephants examined by renowned German veterinary doctor Frank Goritz at its own expenses.

However, the bench observed that arraignments would be made for medical examination of elephants by Dr Frank Goritz and its expenses would be shared equally by the KMC and the petitioner. The court deferred further hearing of the petition till September 28.

Originally published at Bol news