Key Takeaways
- A contempt petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court over alleged non-compliance with the court’s order banning indiscriminate killing of stray dogs.
- The petition was filed on September 4, 2026, and seeks responses from government authorities.
- The court previously banned poisoning, shooting, and indiscriminate killing of stray dogs, directing authorities to implement a TNVR programme.
A contempt petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) over the alleged failure of government authorities to comply with the court’s landmark order banning the indiscriminate killing of stray dogs in Islamabad. The petition was filed on September 4, 2026, in the case of Nelofar v. Chief Commissioner, ICT (W.P. No. 2165 of 2025).
Advocate Altamush Saeed, an animal law expert and Founding Managing Partner of Environmental and Animal Rights Consultants Pakistan, is arguing the contempt petition. He also represented the petitioner in the original constitutional petition that led to the court’s April 28, 2026 judgment.
The April 28 judgment prohibited the poisoning, shooting, and indiscriminate killing of stray dogs in Islamabad. The court ruled that euthanasia could only take place when a qualified veterinarian provides written certification that an animal is rabid, incurably diseased, or dangerously aggressive.
The judgment directed authorities to implement a comprehensive Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release (TNVR) programme across residential, commercial, and public areas. Authorities were also ordered to maintain detailed records of dogs that are captured, vaccinated, sterilised, rehomed, or euthanised. The records must include veterinary documentation as well as dates and locations.
During the original proceedings, photographic evidence presented by Saeed allegedly showed dead dogs inside a vehicle attributed to the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The petition had alleged arbitrary killing, improper capture and relocation of stray dogs, in violation of the ICT Stray Dog Population Control Policy notified on December 28, 2020.
The court also examined claims about TNVR operations, including an alleged expenditure of around Rs.19,000 per dog. It found a lack of supporting documentation, an audit trail, and verifiable data, according to the case material.
The April judgment went beyond banning indiscriminate killing and directed authorities to establish a broader system for managing the stray dog population. Authorities were ordered to conduct an area-wise scientific survey of Islamabad’s stray dogs and maintain transparent records of population-control activities.
The court also directed the creation of systems for rescuing, sheltering, and adopting animals. Animal welfare organisations and NGOs were to be actively involved in implementation. The approach reflects the One Health model, which considers animal, human, and environmental health together.
The court further called for a 24-hour complaint mechanism through which citizens could report aggressive or rabid animals. It also directed that anti-rabies vaccines be made available through public health facilities.
The respondents included the CDA, Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad, ICT Administration, Livestock Department, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, and Environmental Protection Agency. They were directed to submit compliance reports to the IHC’s Deputy Registrar (Judicial) within 60 days.
