KARACHI: The Judicial Magistrate, Malir after hearing the arguments of lawyers put off the hearing of turtles smuggling case till October 25.
In earlier hearing, the court had ordered for release of 218 black spotted turtles which were confiscated at Jinnah International Airport.
Sindh Wildlife Department in collaboration with World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) released these turtles into their natural habitat at Haleji Lake, Thatta.
Briefing about the case, Advocate Faisal Siddique said that smuggling of turtles is not only a violation of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Sindh Wildlife Act but it is an offence of smuggling in which imprisonment up to 14 years could be awarded to the offender.
He further said that they were fighting this case on pro bono public basis in larger interest of the conservation of wildlife species. “We will never allow culprits to treat and traffic the turtles as toys but it is matter of life and death of innocent animals which provide their free of cost services to environment”, he added.
He also urged that government departments, NGOs, civil society members and media representatives to start sensitizing general public to understand the ecological significance of the turtles and stand against such offence.
Javed Maher, Conservator Wildlife Department said that it is not the issue of punishment to the offender, but the department is striving to uphold the cause of conservation and aims at setting precedence whereby the offender may think hundred times before committing such crime.
He informed that 1000 freshwater turtles which were being smuggled from Pakistan have been confiscated by authorities in Thailand. He maintained that the department is in contact with Thai government to bring back these turtles and release them into their habitat.
The hearing was attended by officials from SWD, WWF-Pakistan, IUCN and representatives of Pakistan Animal Welfare Society.
