The petitioner said 33 permits had been issued to dignitaries of five Gulf countries to hunt the protected houbara bustards during the hunting 2013–14 season. DESIGN: AMNA IQBAL
The Lahore High Court on Thursday put an interim ban on hunting of houbara bustards and directed the government to submit a list of permit holders.
Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah passed this order on petitions challenging hunting migratory birds in Pakistan.
The petitioner said 33 permits had been issued to dignitaries of five Gulf countries to hunt the protected houbara bustards during the hunting 2013–14 season.
He said the permits were issued in violation of the Punjab Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management (Amendment) Act, 2007.
An additional attorney general said that there was apparently a moratorium on hunting of houbara bustards.
However, the judge noted that the press clipping mentioned that permits had been issued for the hunting season.
The judge said no law had been cited to show that a concession could be granted to foreign dignitaries to hunt houbara bustards.
Justice Shah remarked that the issuance of permits appeared to have been without lawful authority.
The judge directed the government to ensure that the permit holders were restrained from hunting the bird in the Punjab till the next hearing of the case.
The law officer was also directed to place on record the names of all 33 permit holders.
The judge directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs secretary to issue notices to all 33 permit holders to arrange for representation in the case by the next date of hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2014.
COMMENTS (2)
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Commendable and thoughtful decision Me Lord, but how on earth do you expect any enforcement? Every single wildlife protection official is on the take and personally facilitates the mass slaughter of all sorts of birds, migratory, endangered or just looking for a quiet place to breed. Come with me anyday to Qadirabad to cite one example and see the monthlies paid to the officials to help slaughter birds. Please think enforcement when your Lordships pass judgments, admirable as they may be.