LAHORE – A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against privatisation of Lahore Zoo, a major attraction for families in the provincial capital.
The petition was filed by Advocate Azhar Siddique as he has named the Punjab government, the Wildlife Department, and the Forest Department as respondents.
The petitioner argued that a large number of citizens visit the zoo for information and entertainment. Many citizens have adopted animals and birds from the zoo. However, the zoo has now been handed over to a private company without any legal justification.
The petition further stated that the private company is exploiting the visitors by charging exorbitant fees for parking, entry, and even for rides in the zoo.
The petition requests the court to reverse the decision of the Lahore Zoo’s privatisation.
The Lahore Zoo has been given to a private company for the period of three years under a contract worth Rs500 million.
The private firms will be responsible to manage parking, entry tickets, and various services for next three years.
The ticket price for adult and children has been increased to Rs100 as compared to previous Rs40 for an adult and Rs20 for each child.
However, there will be free entry for citizens aged above 60 years.
Additionally, Rs200 will be charged to visit snake house and Rs300 for the holo-verse.
