Houbara Bustards: LHC suspends issuance of permits for hunting

The order was issued in lieu of a survey report

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended issuance of houbara bustard hunting permits until a survey confirms sustainability of the protected bird until December 2018.

The court linked the issuance of the permits for 2019 with the survey report of the commission, formed to determine whether hunting permits being issued to foreign dignitaries by the government ensured sustainability of the bird species.

The court observed that if the commission confirmed sustainability of houbara bustard, then the permits could be issued, otherwise not. LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah passed the orders while allowing petitions, filed by Ali Imran and others against the issuance of hunting permits to foreign dignitaries.

As the proceedings began, the chairman of the commission, formed to check the sustainability of the houbara bustard, Dr Pervez Hassan, submitted a report and recommended that without the approval of the ministry of climate change, permits should not be issued.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2018.