A hearing at the Malir District Court today has cleared the consignment of 218 turtles confiscated at Karachi airport on 20th September for return to their natural habitat this coming Thursday. Details about the recovery are here. The next hearing is expected to set the penalty for the offending party and is scheduled for Saturday, order 4th oct.
This small win against the illegal wildlife trade cartel will hopefully set the precedent for stricter monitoring and better law enforcement to reduce the prevalence of poaching in our borders.
The hearing was attended by members of the Sindh Wildlife Department, WWF-Pakistan, Pakistan Animal Welfare Society and the media.
It is a pity that the smuggler can go free just by paying a small fine of 50k Rupees that is 500 $ for a consignment of 218 turtles each costing $ 1670 in China ! This smuggler has been doing a roaring business for the last decade and has amassed a fortune already. For how long will the society keep silent. Let us all go to attend the court hearing on the next date and witness how the turtles and their smuggler are set free
A un concerned citizen