The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday required from the federal authorities the documents regarding licenses issued to the Arab dignitaries for hunting the endangered houbara bustard in Pakistan.
Headed by Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, a division bench directed the federal law officer to file comments of foreign affairs secretary, interior secretary and others on the petition that challenged the legality of special permission for hunting endangered species.
The petitioner, Lal Khan Chandio and Rahib Kalhoro, submitted that the federal government had issued licenses to various Arab dignitaries for hunting the endangered houbara bustard (locally know as Tiloor) in violation of the international laws. This was not the first time the government had issued the permits rather this illegal act was being perpetuated since many years.
Apart from the foreign dignitaries, the local influential persons were also involved in hunting in collusion with the provincial authorities. The petitioners alleged that they had taken over their fields spreading over thousands of acres and were hunting with dignitaries of Arab countries the protected species.
They said the owners, workers and peasants were not being allowed to enter their fields and look after their crop and livestock. The counsel for the petitioners told the judges that houbara bustard was also figured on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list as vulnerable which was feared to be decreasing by 30 per cent a year in Pakistan alone.
He said this bird was declared among the endangered species in 1912 and a permanent ban on its hunting was placed in 1971. Although a ban already existed, another ban was imposed on hunting in 1992, albeit with provision of special temporary license for Arab royals. He said this provision was also struck down by the court when it was approached but the practice of hunting was still continuing unabated.
In response to the court notice, provincial law officer filed comments of Sindh wildlife department stating that hunting of the endangered wildlife was not permitted in the areas declared as wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. However, under section 16 of the Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1972, the government may declare any area as Game Reserve, where hunting and shooting of wildlife shall not be allowed except special permits, which may specify the maximum number of animals or birds that may be killed or captured in the area.
It was stated that after the passage 18th amendment, the allocation of areas to the Arab dignitaries was mandate of the foreign affairs ministry, adding that the foreign dignitaries, head of Gulf States and member of royal families were eligible for that permission. The permit stipulates the code of conduct for hunting and no gun is used for hunting as Arabs use falcons for hunting houbara bustard.
