At the start of the 19th century, there started an international dialogue initiated by England for the rights of animals. Since then, these rights have been universally excepted and ratified mostly by First World countries. However, developing countries are still lagging far behind in addressing the plight of animals. Pakistan is no exception.
Constitutionally, Article 227 stipulates there should be no law repugnant to basic Islamic injunctions. Whatever religion one may follow, proper guidelines have been inscribed for the protection of animals. For example, the horse has a symbolic significance in Islam, the sheep holds a certain value in Christianity, and the cow is considered a holy animal worthy of worship in Hinduism. The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights states that animals have the same rights as humans.
In Pakistani law, the Prevention of Cruelty towards Animals Act 1890 clearly mentions that one cannot be cruel towards animals. The killing of animals in the name of euthanisation or for the sake of entertainment or sport needs to stop. We all must realise that animals have been created for specific purposes by God.
MICHAEL SAMUEL
RAWALPINDI
