Eco-friendly: Jirga bans hunting in Mardan village

Claims wildlife dept issues permits without consultation.

KATLANG: A jirga on Monday banned all types of hunting in Kohi Barmol in a bid to protect the wildlife and natural beauty of the mountain range which is located in Katlang tehsil of Mardan district.

It announced an end to its 15-year-old agreement with the wildlife department regarding hunting.

The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the area’s elders, presided over by jirga chief Nazir Bacha.



While addressing participants, Bacha said Wildlife District Director Ayaz Khan was issuing hunting permits to VIPs without the jirga’s permission. He added this was leading to a scarcity of birds, deer, and destroying the area’s natural habitat in the process.

Bacha claimed they had struck an agreement with the department 15 years ago under which wildlife department officials were to issue hunting permits with the jirga’s consent. He alleged they had been violating the agreement.

Under the agreement, the department was supposed to give 75% of revenue to the local jirga but had not done so for the past four years, added the chief.



“It is the wildlife department’s duty to protect the region’s environment and wildlife but it was doing the opposite by handing out hunting permits.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2014.