Court stops payment to conservation CBOs

Petitioner questions disbursement of proceeds from hunting permits

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has stopped the Punjab Wildlife Department from giving millions of rupees earned from trophy hunting last year to community based organisations (CBOs).

The injunction was issued on a writ petition from a CBO in Chakwal. It was argued in the petition that registration of the CBO had been suspended by the Punjab forests and wildlife secretary and its quota had been given to other organisations.

Advocate Mian Asif Mumtaz and Qazi Mohammad Usman filed the petition in which the secretary of forestry and wildlife, director general of wildlife and the anti-corruption DG were made parties. According to the lawyers, the Punjab and federal governments have been asked to respond in the case.

The provincial wildlife department had been given a quota of 16 permits for trophy hunting of the Punjab Urial by the Federal Ministry of Climate Change last year. However, the department was able to auction 14 permits at a fee of $20,500 each. In total, the department collected $287,000, of which 80 per cent was to be paid to local CBOs. However, a writ petition was filed in the LHC against the move, following which the court issued an order to stop the distribution of funds.

It was argued in the petition that the secretary had misused authority and not only stopped the renewal of the registration of a local CBO, but also suspended the registration and allegedly handed over the trophy hunting quota to another organisation.

The director general has the power to renew and cancel CBO registration under the Wildlife Act.

Provincial wildlife department officials said whatever order the court issued in the case would be implemented.

The CBOs were established for the conservation, breeding and protection of various wild animals in Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2023.