The Sindh High Court (SHC) has summoned the progress report from the customs authorities on the proceedings instituted against the alleged wildlife trafficker who was caught at the Karachi airport with 218 black-spotted turtles.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar had taken up a petition filed by non-government organisations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, Pakistan Animal Welfare Society and others, seeking an investigation into the smuggling of endangered species including black-spotted turtles and tortoises, and prosecution of wildlife smugglers under anti-smuggling and customs laws.
Advocate Ghulam Haider Shaikh submitted a report on behalf of the customs authorities stating that the custom authorities would prosecute the alleged wildlife trafficker under the Customs Act 1969 and a show-cause notice and subsequent final notices were issued to him for his appearance before the customs adjudicating authorities. He undertook to submit before this court the progress report along with the order that may be passed in the proceedings.
After his assurance, the court adjourned the matter till December 23 and directed him to submit reports on next hearing. It also extended its interim order staying the proceedings pending before a Malir’s judicial magistrate in turtle-smuggling case.
Advocate Faisal Siddiqui, representing the petitioners, submitted that smuggling of turtles and tortoises particularly black spotted turtles, declared vulnerable and endangered species had escalated in the past two years.
Recently, 218 fresh water black spotted turtles, which were being smuggled to Thailand, were confiscated from KarachiAirport. Subsequently, the customs authorities arrested the alleged smuggler and handed him over to the Sindh wild life department without registering a case against him under the Customs Act 1969.
The Sindh wildlife department registered a case against the accused under the Sindh Wild Life Ordinance 1972 and produced him in court of Malir’s judicial magistrate. However, the alleged smuggler was later released by the court on bail. He argued that customs authorities had confiscated travelling document of the alleged smuggler under the custom laws but it did not institute proceeding against him which was required under the Customs Act 1969.
He submitted that Malir’s judicial magistrate was adamant on framing charges against alleged smuggler without providing fair hearing to the petitioners’ counsel. He said he had also filed an application for transfer of case from the court of present judge to another competent court.