The shifting matter of the famous female bear ‘Rano’ remains in the spotlight, as in a fresh hearing the Sindh High Court (SHC) allowed the Wildlife Department to be impleaded as a party to the case.
The constitutional bench of the SHC has adjourned the hearing of a petition concerning the transfer of a female bear, Rano’ from Karachi Zoo to a natural habitat until February 25, while allowing the Wildlife Department to be impleaded as a party in the case.
The petition, filed by Karachi-based petitioner Jibran Nasir, seeks not only the relocation of the bear popularly known as ‘Rano’ but also raises broader concerns about the welfare and lives of other animals housed at the zoo.
During the hearing, the court was informed that separate amendment applications had been submitted by counsel for the petitioner as well as the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
Accepting the petitioner’s request, the bench issued notices to the relevant authorities regarding the proposed amendments to the petition.
Counsel for the KMC argued that the application filed earlier before a regular bench had already been implemented, rendering the present application ineffective. He maintained that the earlier petition had specifically sought the transfer of female bear Rano, which, according to him, had already been moved to Islamabad.
However, petitioner’s counsel Jibran Nasir contended that the regular bench had also constituted a committee to examine the conditions of other animals at the zoo. He urged the court to allow amendments to the petition so that the matter could be heard comprehensively, stressing that the issue was not limited to a single animal.
“The lives of not only Rano, but also other animals at the Karachi Zoo are equally important,” Nasir submitted, requesting the court to form a committee to assess the overall welfare of animals at the facility.
It is worth mentioning here that famous female bear ‘Rano’ a Himalayan brown bear, was reportedly brought to Karachi Zoo in 2017 alongside an Asiatic black bear, which died in 2020.
Read more: Karachi’s roads get a facelift as KMC launches major rehab programme
