Falcon hunting : Qatari prince slapped with Rs80,000 fine

Sheikh Abdullah was found with 3 extra falcons in DI Khan.

PESHAWAR: In an unprecedented move, the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has slapped a fine of Rs80,000 on a Qatari prince for hunting extra falcons in Dera Ismail Khan. His local facilitator was also fined the same amount.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdur Rehman bin Hammad al Thani visited the desert areas of the K-P district on November 5 and 6 last year. He was accompanied by Muhammad Ayub, a native falcon-keeper.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan lauded the K-P government’s decision in his tweet on Tuesday and termed it a “difference between naya [new] Pakistan and old Pakistan”.

The royal hunter was staying in a heavily guarded government guest house and was escorted by officials from the wildlife department, civil administration and police constabulary during the hunting.

Imran said the Qatari prince was found with three extra falcons, therefore, he was fined.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2015.