LAHORE – The Lahore High Court has ordered the transfer of a 32-year-old blind brown bear, a rare species, from the Bansra Gali Zoo in Murree to the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board’s Rescue Center.
This verdict, given on a petition filed by animal rights activist and environmental/legal advisor Altmash Saeed, is being hailed as a major legal and ethical victory for captive wildlife in Pakistan.
The bear was rescued six years ago from a street performer in Hafizabad. At the time, it had its claws pulled out, teeth missing, and had completely lost its eyesight. Despite the rescue, the bear was kept in inhumane conditions—first in Lahore Zoo and later, in 2016, at Jallo Park—without proper shelter, veterinary care, or a suitable natural environment.
Altmash Saeed stated that a few weeks ago, distressing videos of the weak and suffering bear went viral on social media, prompting civil society and lawyers to take action. On April 8, 2025, the bear was hurriedly transferred to Bansra Gali Zoo, where its condition worsened. It was confined in a small concrete cell, completely deprived of a natural habitat.
Saeed filed a public interest litigation in the Lahore High Court, demanding the bear’s relocation to a proper sanctuary. Hearings were held on April 11, 23, and 28, where expert testimony, including from Dr. Fernando Alegre of the Chengdu Bear Sanctuary in China, was presented.
On April 28, the court ordered the bear to be shifted to the Balkasar Bear Sanctuary in Chakwal—one of only two approved sanctuaries in Pakistan.
At the May 5 hearing, suggestions from Dr. Fakhar Abbas, head of the Pakistan Rescue Center and a leading wildlife expert, were submitted. The court then ruled that transferring the bear to the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board’s Rescue Center would be more suitable due to its favorable climate and trained staff.
Citing past cases including the Zawar Hussain case and Islamabad High Court’s famous “Kaavan Case,” the court recognized animals as sentient beings with constitutional rights.
The petitioners further urged the court to expand its efforts beyond this single bear and direct the government to develop a permanent policy for captive wildlife across Punjab.
