LHC takes notice of deterioration of Lal Suhanra Park

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh on Thursday took the notice of deteriorating state of Lal Suhanra Park in Bahawalpur, ARY News reported.

The chief justice taken notice of the deteriorating condition of the park while hearing the Lahore smog case.

The bench was informed that the black bucks and the lion have now disappeared from the Lal Suhanra Park. “The lion has been illegally transferred to Lahore Zoo,” the petitioner informed the court.

The number of black bucks and other types of deer have dropped to an alarming extent in the park, petition said. “Most of black bucks have been stolen from the park,” the counsel of petitioner told the high court bench.

The chief justice while hearing the matter summoned a report about cutting of trees and the state of animals in the park from concerned officials to be submitted in the court on February 06.

The Lahore High Court in a landmark verdict on November 04 last year had imposed ban on the hunting of black bucks in Punjab.

The high court had also ordered the Government of Punjab to take substantial steps to ensure protection of black bucks in the province.

“Animals are an essential part of our environment and leaving them unprotected is violation of the fundamental rights”, the court remarked.

The petition said that the government not taking proper steps for protection of black bucks adding that the population of the animal is sliding due to issuance of illegal hunting permits and lack of safety measures.