The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government issued a special permit to eight Qatari princes to hunt in nine districts across the country.
A letter issued by the government suggests the federal government issued eight special hunting permits to Qatari princes during the hunting season 2016-17.
Foreign Office forwarded the allocation letter to Qatari embassy in Islamabad, in which the federal government recommended the respective provincial government to “facilitate respected dignities”.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani is allowed to hunt in Punjab’s Bhakkar and Jhang districts. The prince has lately been in the news following the submission of his letter in the Supreme Court in connection with the Panamagate case.
In his letter, he has described his father’s business relations with the family of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his involvement in the London apartments that are at the centre of the Panama Papers controversy.
Father of Qatar’s Ameer has been allotted Bahawalnagar district to hunt.
The other princes have been allocated Balochistan’s district Mosakhel and its Tehsil Daag, district Loralai, district Sarab, district Barkhan and Sindh’s district Dadu for hunting internationally protected migratory birds and animals.
Interestingly, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan, who was opposing such move, agreed to grant hunting permits to Qatari princes as KP Chief Secretary and Environment Secretary of the province signed the documents granting hunting permits to Qatari princes.
This is not the first time that a special hunting permit has been issued to the Qatari princes.
PML-N government had asked the Supreme Court to reconsider a ban on hunting houbara bustard by foreign dignitaries, saying the restriction was adversely affecting the country’s already weakened relations with the Gulf states in the wake of turmoil in the region.