Govt restores game fees for foreign hunters

A limit of 100 birds is set for each hunter

LAHORE: The process of taking fees from the foreign hunters willing to hunt houbara bustard in Pakistan has been restored with an objective to use the revenue for the development of the remote areas.

In Punjab, four foreign hunters have submitted the fees of $100,000 each for hunting houbara bustard in Rahim Yar Khan. The hunters have to submit a separate fee for falcons that would be used in the game. In October 2018, the government banned free hunting for the foreigners in Pakistan.

Earlier, because of some foreigners especially the influential figures from Arab countries, the government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had ended the hunting fees. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government restored and revised the hunting fees.

Punjab Wildlife Protection Department Director Mohammad Naeem Bhatti said the federal government issued the instructions to all four provinces. After which the fees for hunting houbara bustard was being charged in Punjab from the foreign hunters. He added that during the season so far four Arab hunters have submitted the fees for houbara bustard.

Under the announced fees, the hunting would be allowed for 10 days and the hunters would have to pay $100,000 dollars. Similarly, a hunter would pay $1,000 per falcon used during the game.

The objective of these measures is to increase the revenues with the help of hunting.

He said a committee has been established to decide the use of the revenue which the government would get from the hunters. At least 50% of the revenue generated by the hunting fees would be spent on the development of these areas while 35% would be given to Obara Foundation so that the numbers of houbara bustards could be increased.

As per the Punjab Wildlife Act, the hunting of houbara bustard has been banned in Pakistan. However, foreign personalities were allowed to hunt through a special permit. The hunters are allowed to hunt only 100 birds for 10 days but they often cross the limit. In 2014, a report revealed that a Saudi prince hunted more than 2,000 birds during his 21-day visit. Last year in November, Prince of Qatar Sheikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa with his caravan of the royal family reached Bhakkar for hunting houbara bustard. In the winter, thousands of houbara bustard migrate from other countries to the different areas of Pakistan. These birds are usually found in the border and desert areas of Punjab and Balochistan while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa these birds stay in the areas of Dera Ismail Khan and Kohat.