A division bench of the IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition and summoned additional secretary interior to appear before the court in person on the next hearing for not submitting the reply in this matter.
During the hearing, Justice Kayani remarked that despite the notices, the Interior Ministry did not submit its reply. He said this attitude is not acceptable. Issuing the directions, the bench deferred hearing until September 5.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has sought removal of his name from the ECL. His counsel, Farooq Naek, contended before the bench that since the accountability court's judge, Mohammad Bashir, was on leave and the former PM was scheduled to attend a conference abroad, the court should pass an order to the Interior Ministry for removal of his client's name from the ECL.
However, the NAB prosecutor informed the court that Judge Bashir would resume his duties on September 6. At this, Naek argued that the international conference is scheduled to be held on September 6 and Ashraf needs to be there well before this date.
Meanwhile, a single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah directed the zoo administration to save the animals from any harm and address the adverse conditions in zoo.
During the hearing, the IHC bench observed that it has been proved that Islamabad Zoo is not meeting the international standards set for a zoo. Justice Athar said that the zoo administration intends to bring three more elephants while it is not even properly taking care of a lone elephant in the zoo.
Addressing the zoo officials, the IHC chief justice said, "If you people could not facilitate the elephant, send it back to Sri Lanka."
The deputy director of the zoo said that a PC-I was forwarded to the Planning Commission for improving the conditions in Islamabad Zoo and to meet the international standard but the proposal was rejected.
Later, the court adjourned hearing of the case till September 6.