The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change on Thursday recommended banning the licensed trophy hunting.
The suggestion was made by members of the committee which met with Senator Saeeda Iqbal in the chair. The panel discussed a range of issues related to the wildlife.
“It is strange that we are giving licences to foreigners to kill precious wildlife instead of protecting and preserving it,” said Senator Rubina Khalid.
She said that foreigners, particularly the royal families of Arab countries, are invited and given licences to kill markhor, urial, ibex and blue sheep in Sindh, Balochistan, Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to wildlife officials, trophy hunting is a regulated exercise, where old sterile males with elaborate antlers are marked and offered to hunters in a supervised hunt against a licence fee that can run into thousands of dollars.
The practice discourages poaching, but is still scorned upon by wildlife lovers as a legal genocide and an intervention in nature.
Rubina Khalid noted that some politicians and bureaucrats facilitate and entertain the foreigners in the name of trophy hunting and receive favours like luxury cars and precious watches but the concerned community gets nothing.
Chairperson of the committee Senator Saeeda Iqbal and other members also asked the relevant authorities including the foreign office to end the practice of trophy hunting. The committee also sought details about the total number of licences issued to foreigners and the number of animals they hunted.
Inspector General of Forests (IGF) Syed Mehmood Nasir gave a presentation on the current situation of forests in Pakistan. He said there is no regulatory body at the federal level after the devolution of the subject of forests to the provinces.
He revealed that Pakistan is growing into a hub for illegal wildlife trade. He mentioned that a large number of falcons and houbara bustards are smuggled to Gulf countries.
The IGF justified the trophy hunting, saying that it is an attempt to motivate the local communities to preserve the wildlife and in return grant them sufficient foreign exchange from the hunter.
According to the IGF, the experiment of trophy hunting has been successful in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, where a large number of wildlife have been preserved and protected motivating communities to protect them.
He also stated that the trophy hunting practice of Pakistan is being taken as an example across the world.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2012.
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@Hameed: Yes the DG is extra ordinary person and hold 20 Masters degrees in sciences and liberal arts including one MA in Islamic Studies and religion. How could he be involved
Its highly encouraging to read arguments from conservation professionals and practitioners about TH, trying to differentiate it from illegal poaching of wildlife in Pakistan. Since the debate is now converging onto a way forward, I would like to share that the TH going on in GB, called successful by many, is in fact the "Community based trophy Hunting Programme (CTHP)" which is totally different in context from the one that perhaps is happening in parts of Baluchistan and Punjab. The CTHP was initiated back in 1995, primarily as an incentive to local community in recognition of their efforts to protect wildlife (Himalayan ibex). It was a trade off in fact in the beginning, when locals in the Bar valley of Nagar were paid Rs. 150,000 to buy meat for their families, and not hunt ibex in return for meat in the area. Since then, CHTP, though successful apparently, still need a lot to become a real success story.
A recent study on CHTP in GB reveals very crucial conclusions. Summary of the study, I would like to share with you here. The study says, CHTP has proved to be a reasonably good tool to protect wild animals such as markhore, Himalayan ibex, and Blue sheep in GB, that has helped the department a great deal, particularly at a time when it didn't have the needful capacities to implement the Wildlife Protection Rules in general and the capability to protect critical wildlife habitats in particular. The program has also contributed positively towards strengthening of social infrastructure in the participating communities. BUT the situation gets bad when a dispute arises over distribution of trophy hunting fee. TH being an activity of direct economic gains, community's interest mostly revolves around trophy animals, there is no commitment to protect the critical habitats and top predators i.e., snow leopard. Alarmingly, CTHP communities, despite getting huge sums of money, have no investment plans in place, though in theory they are supposed to invest at least 30% of the total TH income back on conservation of species and habitats. There is no precedence of any such investments made except a small fraction spent on watch & ward in a few CCHAs. The absolute dependence of communities on TH of ibex, markhor and Blue sheep, for money alone, is potentially dangerous, both socially as well as economically. This might become a problem if, for some reasons, trophy hunting doesn't stay as an economic opportunity as it is now, may lead either to enhanced poverty and unemployment or the excessive hunting of animals for nominal gains, both would be detrimental to fragile mountain ecosystem and livelihoods in the region. Even there are proposals from certain community interest groups, to de-notify Naltar and Kargah Wildife Sanctuaries, which is unfortunate.
We all know that the conservation communities in GB are wise and better trained; the CCHAs have some of the best wildlife habitats; the department has grown and has established reasonably good relationships with local communities in CCHAs; provincial Government and senior administration is highly interested to conserve key species and their habitats; international researchers are eager to conduct studies on various socio-ecological aspects in GB; hundreds of students are there in KIU to write dissertations on subjects related to Bio-diversity, social dimensions, cultural aspects etc., and tourists, both domestic and foreigners are willing to visit each and every part of GB. It would be worth while to deliberate on such weaknesses in CTHP in the proposed meetings with decision makers, and guide us make CHTP a real success in biodiversity conservation for the country.
Now that enough debate has been generated let us consolidate it, step one could be to meet the senators for the issue of trophy hunting. Step 2 for the corruption by DG Forest Institute let the Tribune and other media persons give their investigative report in the press. For the tree cutting in Ayubia Park let WWF give its detailed report like usually does when others are involved. DR fakhr and or Dr Fayyaz Baqir or LEAD fellows or all three can meet this week but not delay it
Hats off to the Tribune for facilitating this eye opening discussion, I would propose a conservation award by WWF
@CITES: Will CITES watch or give legal views on this issue
Present DG Pak Forest Institute is a clean DMG officer who is also a successful forest officer it cannot be that he is involved. It is always the accountants who do all corruption
Business Recorder and Dunya News has done part coverage of this case http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/1260916/ http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/Regional/145048--PIF-employee-nabbed-over-corruption-charges
on popular demand the Tribune is requested to take up this case and fulfill its obligation to the conservation community
The Business Recorder has given some details of the fraud in the Ghorghushti Park (Malik Amin Aslam's election constituency) managed by Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar as below
er 23, 2012 RECORDER REPORT 0 Comments Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zone, Peshawar has arrested Mohammad Amjad son of Mohammad Zaman, an official of the Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI), Peshawar for embezzling an amount of Rs 91 million in the Development Project titled 'Establishment of Recreational Park for Improvement of Local Environment at Ghorghushti' District Attock.
The project had concluded in 2009 and the accused managed the accounts of the project during the period from 2006-09 and even after the completion of the project, the accused retained the official cheque books and dispatched bogus letters to the State Bank sanctioning release of funds for the mentioned project. The accused managed to withdraw huge sum of money from the State Bank on bogus cheques in the name of the said project.
FIA initiated an enquiry into the issue and verified the withdrawal of Rs 4,978,200. During the enquiry it was revealed that a total of Rs 91,077,200 had been fraudulently withdrawn by the accused during the period after conclusion of the project. The stamps, cheque books and other material used in the fraud has been recovered, besides a cash of Rs 2.3 million, foreign currencies of various countries, a latest model Toyota Camry car, a Toyota Prado Jeep, ipad, expensive mobile phone, etc.
The accused owns several houses and plots in various cities of the country, and has got several bank accounts and lockers in various banks, which have been frozen. Investigation is underway and the involvement of accomplices cannot be ruled out.
Yes Mr Ali Jan is correct. But one cannot ignore the the ongoing unanswered issues like WWF's intransigence on tree cutting in Ayubia National Park and the media's blackout on Forest Institute corruption in the wildlife park of Attock. In the later a simple routine way out of catching a junior accountant while the DG is set free to ruin the Ayubia National Park? While there is no reporting by the media and even the Tribune on both cases. Only then people find this platform of the Tribune to give vent to their frustration. Of course ALi Jan is right but who will address the two unforgivable issues
Why the issue of trophy hunting is diverted to corruption in PFI and in NGOs sector at large. Let me clarify that the trophy hunting was piloted and made successful flagship programme by the local communities in Gilgit, Baltistan, Chitral and Baluchistan (Torgar) where the level of corruption was not existent before accession with Pakistan in 1947 and still the practice is not rampant as is in the main land Pakistan. It is a saying in Pakistan that "none other than Forest Department people responsible for deforestation in the country". I would appreciate if the corruption and other subjects not linked with the Trophy hunting unless there is no evidence of such practices in the programme.
The other issue which is important and needs your attention is "Timber Policy in GB". which is causing great loss to forests, climate and also one of the main causes of floods and other disasters in Indus. There is a need to conduct a through investigation and evaluation of the past policies and suggest a policy framework to the government with strict vigilance by the community on the pattern of trophy hunting.
Corruption in the Forest Institute is a matter of concern, Can the Tribune do a service to the cause of conservation by covering this case in depth. In particular when the Wildlife Park was developed in the constituency of Amin Aslam Malik who remained Minister Environment
@Dogar: I wonder why only a junior staff member was arrested while the high bosses like Directors and the DG were spared
@Dogar: Forest Institute Researchers fraud ! I am astonished how a junior staff member is all what FIA has done. The corruption was ongoing since 2009 and no Director was even interrogated. Malik Amin Aslam may also comment as this wildlife park was in his constituency and probably constructed when he was the Minister Environment. Is there any latest news if any high official was involved in this solo fraud of 92 million?
on http://www.thefrontierpost.com/article/193586/
PESHAWAR (Online): Federal Investigation Agency on Friday arrested an employee of Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar, on account of alleged corruption worth Rs 91 million. Muhammad Amjad s/o Muhammad Zaman who was among the PIF staff withdrew millions of rupees from State Bank in the form of bogus cheques in the name of construction of a public park in District Attock. The development project completed in 2009 whereas the accused kept the cheque books with him and withdrew additional money illegally. Rs 2.3 million of cash, two cars, and expensive phones were recovered from the accused.
Thanks Amin Aslam for clarifications and reiterating the commitment and resolve for sustainable use of natural resources through benefit sharing with the custodian communities. I am in agreement with you regarding evaluation but I would support a participatory evaluation cum impact study rather than an evaluation by subject specialists and experts. The participatory evaluation cum impact study should involve the local community people in the process covering the impact of the programme on wildlife, natural habitat, socio economic paradigm and institutional development for improved and better governance and management of natural resources. We must see and learn as to what extent the experience and lessons of the pilot sites have been incorporated in the replication of the programme in other areas in the country. I have observed in some of the areas where the programme has been replicated without its essence as the participation of the programme is very symbolic and minimal as a result the landlords and tribal chieftains are benefited out of the programme. The evaluation or the impact study should lead towards a national policy / framework regarding commercial consumptive use of natural resources including wildlife which could ensure the balance between economic needs and nature conservation.
It is quite encouraging to read about the concern being shown by our Senators on illegal wildlife poaching. However, what is equally disturbing is either the lack of understanding or the weak manner in which the case of trophy hunting has been presented to our Senators and also picked up by the media.
The news item is confusing and mixing two totally divergent issues - TROPHY HUNTING and ILLEGAL ARAB POACHING. The Pakistan Trophy Hunting program is a flagship program which has been internationally acknowledged as a practically successful example of community based conservation of wildlife. It has resulted in a significant increase in the population of mark hors/blue sheep in Northern Areas (this was duly acknowledged in the recent World Conservation Congress by IUCN). It has also resulted in a sharp rise in the price of the trophy's which are auctioned yearly and 80% of these proceeds are given to the local conservancy for their own use through a dedicated fund. It has provided a true economic evaluation of the wildlife for the local custodians who feed empowered to save this valuable asset that they possess and only allow sustainable hunting with transparent auctions processs. In short, this is a success story and needs to get an independent third party evaluation done to truly assess the success rate while trying to get some improvements done. The SENATORS should understand and guide this process.
The other issue is of ILLEGAL POACHING by ARAB dignitaries especially for Houbara Bustards and Falcons. The mode of providing licenses for this activity are totally NON TRANSPARENT and are done to please. Also, this is handled by the FO while the NCCW (National Council for Conservation of Wildlife) is by passed. There is an ABSOLUTE need to halt, review and regulate this process and make it transparent and sustainable. Our Honorable SENATORS should again lead this process.
What is absolutely essential is to differentiate between the two and ensure that we do not "throw out the baby with the bath water".
MALIK AMIN ASLAM
I am going to call Mahmood Nasir to convene a meeting in his office.You should expect to hear from him soon.
I agree what Fayyaz Baqir sahib and Ali Ahmad Jan have mentioned. It would be good if we all sit together and chalk out a unified and consensus based strategy to follow. I would suggest that Syed Mahmood Nasir, IGF should also be part of this meeting. We must realize that it is not the job of a single person or an organization to address such massive task rather a consortium based road map will work.
The essence of the community based trophy hunting programme is participation, involvement and empowerment of local communities as partners through ownership in planning and implementation as well as benefit sharing. The empowerment of local people had amazing stories in GB where local people stopped powerful bureaucrats from illegal hunting and registered cases against them. I remember one Deputy Commissioner in Ghanche and a commander of Frontier Crops in Gojal who were not allowed to do hunting by locals. For future success of the programme the local people need to be more empowered and vigilant. Publishing of the story in Express Tribune itself is an example of the community vigilance as Peer Muhammad belongs to GB and he is much concerned about the transparency and accountability in the programme.
I took this story to the LEAD network where all the fellows agreed to the points discussed by Fayaz Baqir, Ashiq Ahmad Khan, Dr. Ghulam Akbar and other senior conservationists. I would suggest to hold a joint meeting of all the stakeholders across the board and draft the facts about the programme and appraise our policy makers about the benefits of the community based trophy hunting programme. WWF, LEAD - Pakistan or any other Institution can take lead in this regard.
If we have to write a letter or initiate an inquiry on corruption we (including WWF) should i) write a letter to the Chief Justice ti initiate suo moto action against illegal and corrupt practices. ii) Send one copy of the letter to the consumer court in the affected district iii) send one copy to the Senate's Standing Committee asking for the opportunity to be heard iv) send one copy to the Editors of Express Tribune, Dawn, Jang and other major newspapers and v) one copy to all the TV channels. I can help both in drafting and circulating the letters. If Dr. Ghulam Akbar is in Islamabad we can meet in his office. If not, we can meet in my office. Let this be the first point. Who ir ready to join. Please give your cell numbers as well. So that we can organize a meeting.
Will someone provide some details of what corruption took place in the Forest College Peshawar we understand that an honest DG is working there for the last three years
@Jan: Count me in if WWF or anyone launches a campaign for a good cause
@Dr. Ghulam Akbar: These trees were cut on an illegal order of high bosses. Had the wood been removed by a poor man to keep his kids warm in this season of bitter cold and snow he would have been jailed for 2 years. WWF is happy by writing a simple letter BRAVO BRAVO at least the letter should be made public and some public interest litigation case must be taken up for this crime if WWF cannot confront the big bosses. I am not aware of the details of the corruption case in the Forest Institute Peshawar by whom I only recall a press report a few backs about a corruption case of a few hundred million was detected and a junior clerk was removed from the job just to save the big bosses WILL WWF WRITE A LETTER HERE TOO !
If someone knows the details and latest position of this case please let everyone know at least we must avail in these times of free press in Pakistan
Thanks to WWF for writing a letter is that enough ? Many like me will join a campaign to stop the powerful from destroying the sanctity of a national park. What is WWF position on the Forest Institute mega corruption in the name of conservation. We will love to see WWF join with the offer of Mr Fayyaz Baqir to finalize a series of meetings with Senators and members of the National Assembly on issues of trophy hunting ban, matters of corruption in the Forest Institue Peshawar and 18th amendment pitfalls. Of course thanks to the Tribune's team to have brought these issues in limelight
Well, WWF-Pakistan has taken serious note of removing trees from Ayubia National Park and has written to the provincial Secretary to halt it. As far, the debate on trophy hunting, we consider that our decision makers need to be educated. In the absence of trophy hunting, we will lose the precious wildlife as the communities will lose interest in conserving these animals.
At the once prestigious Pakistan Forest Institute NAB is doing pre arrest bargain with the head for a corruption of billions in the name of conserving wildlife and forestry research. We need a Peer Muhammad like journalist go there and report what is done by the mightily powerful bureaucrats in the name of conservation and researchers
@Fayyaz Baqir: can you believe that almost every second officer who saves wildlife in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is under threat of losing his job these days. A powerful officer had ordered removal of trees from Aybia National Park... And upon refusal he has punished the staff of wildlife what the Arab sheikhs have to do with this event?
Great if respectable persons like Fayyaz Baqir can facilitate a series of dialogues
I am glad to hear that Senate's Standing Committee has taken interest in an issue of critical national importance. hanks to Peer Mohammad for covering the proceedings. I wish Senate Standing Committee had realized the need and its responsibility to understand trophy hunting before recommending a ban. Democracy stands for pluralism. Democratic Forums should first take account of all the viewpoints and then make choices. Otherwise it will be a case of blind leading the blind.I hope Peer Mohammad does a follow up story on the basis of views expressed in this blog. The debate should continue. It should be conveyed to the senators that there are environmental professionals who should be given the opportunity to present their case on this issue and they should be invited to Standing Committee meeting for testimony. It is important for of all of us.
Hurrah
Appreciable that people are taking interest for future generations
I am following with interest
Wild Life and Forests are our life politics may not matter
Good
good work keep up Tribune
It is time to sit with the decision makers on matters of forests and wildlife
Watching this interesting event
The world is watching this Tom
Good work by Peer Muhammad who deserves appreciation for this coverage. In fact the only newspaper that covered this very important meeting. This is the hunting, poaching and wildlife smuggling season and we see almost every other day media covering release of confiscated falcons, turtles and frogs. I am told that had the frogs not been smuggled out there would be no dengue in Lahore they say a frog eats 4 times its weight of mosquitoes every day. The once abundant bullfrogs all over the country side are no more NO PAKISTANI EATS FROGS ALL WERE SMUGGLED OUT OF THE COUNTRY THANKS TO THE 18TH AMENDMENT THE LAST REMAINING TURTLES AND PARROTS WILL SOON DISAPPEAR
Trophy hunting is different than poaching; community protect animals and the Government issue license for a just a few. The greater part of the revenue(80%) goes to the people who protect animals from being killed just for a few kg of meat. The Arabs are not involved in Ibex and Markhor hunting; houbara is their target. This is a good program to save animals and shouldn't be stopped just because of the ignorance about its benefits and role in conservation.
It is very ironic to see the ignorance of the senate body which wants to impose ban on Trophy hunting even without differentiating between the illegal poaching in Punjab and Sindh and community based trophy hunting in GB. The trophy hunting has proved to be an incentive for conservation of wildlife and protection of natural habitat
I was part of this programme which proved its achievements and there are 100s of stories of success in GB and Chitral. Many people including myself have conducted research on various aspects of the programme and Pakistan is a considered to be a in leading position as a country where such a programme was made successful.
Many people might not in knowledge as this programme was allowed by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto during her premiership. She had increased the community share from 70% to 80% and showed her interest for the success of the programme.
Yes there are issues of legal and illegal poaching and hunting in Punajab, Sindh and Balochistan but the case of Community based Trophy Hunting in GB and Chitral is totally different and considered a good model for conservation.
Ali Ahmad Jan
@Huma Shah: Na Baba No this is very bad. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.. Just by putting a ban on legal hunting means that everything wild shall be lost
Congratulations to the Tribune for covering this event. I am sure that this reporting by only one newspaper does not capture the full picture of what was discussed in the Senate. It simply cannot be we want full coverage please
@Huma Shah: @s shah: Yup but in this case the lady Senators are not fully in picture. If this order of the lady Senator is implemented then rest assured that all the wildlife will be wiped out in less than five years. The 100 plus countries and thousands of scientists including lady researchers who helped devise trophy hunting as a tool to save wildlife cannot be dictated by this idealistic verdict of Rubina Khalid. Let there be another round of session to educate the senators
It is always women politicians and women senators who ask searching and brave questions. Good for them!
Foreigners killing for fun. Sad.
good!