The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has categorically refused to grant permission to foreign dignitaries for hunting Houbara Bustard – a species on the verge of extinction.
Appearing before the Supreme Court yesterday, Additional Advocate General (AAG) K-P Mujahid Ali Khan presented the provincial government’s stance on the issuance of hunting permits to visiting dignitaries – primarily from the gulf countries.
The two-judge bench of the top court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja was hearing the case against the illegal hunting permits issued to royal visitors from Gulf countries for hunting the Houbara bustard which is supposedly protected by law.
Aamir Zahoorul Haq, the petitioner, requested the bench to cancel all the licences for hunting of Houbara bustard, saying the foreign office should be restrained from issuing such permits to foreigners.
He claimed that despite a ban on the hunting of the rare bird in Pakistan, the government has issued permits in violation of the law.
The petitioner also requested the top court to order stern legal action against the officials who issued the licences.
The K-P AAG has submitted a letter of the Forest, Environment and Wildlife department before the bench, wherein it told the foreign ministry that falconry is banned in the province under Martial Law Order, 292 which is constitutionally protected and hence hunting through hawks and falcons is banned in the province.
The K-P government further stated that Pakistan is signatory to the Convention of International Trade of Endangers Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) which means Houbara bustards cannot be offered for hunting by the countries unless export quota for certain number of the birds belonging to the species is granted by the CITES secretariat.
During the hearing, the bench also appreciated K-P government’s stance on prohibiting dignitaries from hunting the endangered species in the province.
Meanwhile, the bench has sought comprehensive reports from all provincial governments regarding the illegal issuance of permits to the foreign visitors.
It should be pertinent to note that the arabs princelings have no respect for bag limits and wantonly massacre species by the hundreds. And have already driven it to extinction in their own lands. and if allowed to continue their depredations, would do the same here as well.
Also read:Pakistan prepares for Saudi princeling visit to hunt endangered birds
