Last week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had to remark that the negligence with which the government has treated Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad is reflective of the functioning of the entire government. The court reportedly remarked that those responsible for the misery of the animals could be put in the cages for two hours so they could empathise with animals.
It is pathetic that the only zoo in Islamabad has become a victim of the negligence of authorities. Due to the unlivable condition of animals in this zoo, the court had ordered their shifting to safer places. During the process, many animals were killed due to clumsy handling of the matter.
Dreadful was the footage of the lion pair panicked at the fire that was put in their cage and their baton-wielding handlers poking at them. As a result, the lions died. Their autopsy report mentioned 'emaciated' among the causes of death. A couple of years ago, four cubs of this ill-fated couple also died due to the powder milk they were being fed.
The condition of Kavan, the only elephant in the zoo, had been so bad that citizens of Islamabad appealed the courts for intervention.
The Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI) that was responsible to maintain this zoo was so bad at its job that the zoo was transferred to the Climate Change Ministry.
Things began to move from bad to worse when Islamabad got its first mayor, Shiekh Ansar, in the last local bodies elections that were held here on a court order. He kept on crying at all public forums on the shortage of funds but at the same time cases of corruption worth billions of rupees were filed against him at different forums including the FIA and NAB.
It remains to be seen, however, that how does this climate ministry design and build new enclaves for animals in the zoo, for which it will need funds.
It will not be far removed from reality to say that at present the only zoo has been snatched from Islamabad and its animals have paid the price of corruption and negligence of the authorities concerned with their lives.