Arab Houbara bustard hunters’ convoy attacked in Panjgur

Team of hunters led by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan was on its way to hunt the prized bird

A convoy of houbara bustard hunters from United Arab Emirates was attacked in Guchak area of Panjgur on Monday.

The team of hunters led by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the interior minister of UAE, remained unhurt during the incident. Two vehicles of the convoy were damaged.



The armed men on five motorcycles surrounded the convoy. However, Frontier Corps personnel and other security men retaliated forcing the attackers to flee. The area was cordoned off and the convoy was taken to its camp.

Panjgur Assistant Commissioner Abdullah Khosa confirmed the incident.

"Prince Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan's convoy was on its way to hunt in Guchak area when it came under attack," Panjgur Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rehman said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier this month, authorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa imposed a province-wide ban on the hunting of the Houbara bustard, a prized migratory bird that is designated by conservationists as a protected species.



The K-P government issued the notification reminding hunters of a ban on hunting of Houbara bustard in the province after news channels reported that the federal government had allowed Qatari Royal Prince Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali al Thani to hunt the bird during the hunting season 2016-2017.

The indiscriminate hunting of Houbara bustard has led to an alarming decline in their population. The species was declared vulnerable after its global population dwindled by more than 60 per cent.