Islamabad High Court Permanently Bans Killing of Stray Dogs
May 2026 | By Azad News
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has permanently banned the poisoning, shooting, and indiscriminate killing of stray dogs in the federal capital, directing authorities to adopt humane methods for population control.
In a detailed 24-page judgment, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro ordered relevant authorities to implement a “catch, neuter, vaccinate and release” programme for managing stray dog populations in Islamabad.
The ruling came in response to constitutional petitions filed by Islamabad resident Niloofar and others, who challenged the alleged failure to implement the Stray Dog Population Control Policy in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The court directed the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the ICT administration, and other concerned departments to avoid any arbitrary or inhumane treatment of stray animals.
The judgment highlighted concerns over photographic evidence presented during proceedings, which reportedly showed dead dogs inside a CDA vehicle. The court observed that authorities failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the incident.
Justice Soomro stated that such actions raised serious concerns about violations of legal and administrative responsibilities.
Referring to teachings from the Holy Quran and Sunnah, the court ruled that mass and indiscriminate killing of animals without lawful justification could not be justified under Islamic principles or international standards.
The court clarified that euthanasia may only be used in exceptional cases involving critically ill, severely injured, or rabid animals, and only under the supervision of qualified veterinarians.
Authorities were further instructed to maintain detailed records of captured, vaccinated, sterilised, treated, released, or euthanised dogs and to develop standard operating procedures for handling stray animals.
The ruling also prohibited the removal of healthy, vaccinated, collared, or lactating community dogs from their local areas unless supported by lawful and documented reasons.
Additionally, the court ordered the creation of an advisory committee involving veterinarians, animal welfare groups, disease experts, and civil society representatives to assist in policy implementation.
The judgment also called for improved waste management systems, the establishment of a dog bite database, and regulations for feeding stray animals at designated locations and times.
The court noted that Pakistan’s existing Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890 is outdated and highlighted the absence of a modern national framework for stray animal management.
Relevant authorities have been directed to submit a compliance report to the court within 60 days.
Conclusion
The Islamabad High Court’s ruling marks a significant step toward humane animal welfare practices in Pakistan by banning the indiscriminate killing of stray dogs and promoting modern population control methods based on vaccination and sterilisation.
This article is a rewritten summary based on publicly available information. It has been fully paraphrased for informational purposes only and does not reproduce any original copyrighted text.
