About us


Zoological Survey of Pakistan (ZSP) was established at Karachi in June 1948 as a counterpart of the Zoological Survey of India under Ministry of Food & Agriculture.

The Department was aimed to undertake faunistic surveys throughout the country. In 1949, ZSP took over the Marine Fisheries Department from the Government of Sindh and its officer Incharge was re-designated as Officer Incharge Zoological Survey of Pakistan and Marine Fisheries Department. In January, 1951 the Government of Pakistan created a Central Marine Fisheries Department and thus Zoological Survey of Pakistan and Marine Fisheries Department were separated in January, 1951. In 1962 Marine Biological Research Laboratory (MBRL) was established under a Development Project which later on became a permanent wing of Zoological Survey of Pakistan.

In December 1972, the Zoological Survey of Pakistan and Marine Biological Research Laboratory (MBRL) were transferred from the administrative control of the Ministry of Food & Agriculture to the Ministry of Science and Technology. In November 1979, ZSP was re-transferred to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Cooperatives. In November 1995, ZSP was placed under the newly created Ministry of Environment as attached department. In May 2004, ZSP was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad while Marine Biological Research Laboratory remained functioning at Karachi. After devolution of Ministry of Environment under the 18th Constitution Amendment, Zoological Survey of Pakistan was placed under the administrative control of Ministry of Science and Technology from 1st July 2011. Thereafter, ZSP was transferred to the newly created Ministry of National Food, Security and Research and then to the Ministry of National Disaster Management which renamed as Ministry of Climate Change. After devolution Marine Biological Research Laboratory (MBRL), sub-office of ZSP situated at Karachi has been transferred to the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, Karachi. But MBRL still has the mandate to undertake survey and research on the marine fauna (especially fauna of coastal zone) and a summary has been submitted by the Ministry of Climate Change to Prime Minister Office for repatriation of MBRL to ZSP.