Pakistan

Houbara bustard: Bird hunting ban may affect Mideast ties

Govt asks top court to review its judgment

Hasnaat Malik October 18, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD:

The ban on hunting the vulnerable houbara bustard could cast a shadow over relations between Pakistan and some Middle East states, the government told the top court on Saturday.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Abdul Rehman filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s August 19 ruling, which barred the federal and provincial governments from granting permits for hunting the indigenous bird and reminded them that the country’s laws were not a ‘saleable commodity’.

Read: SC imposes ban on houbara bustard hunting

The government’s review petition stated that before issuing its verdict, the apex court had not considered Pakistan’s relations with Middle Eastern countries in the backdrop of the Yemen crisis. “Since Pakistan has decided to remain neutral in view of the National Assembly’s April 10 resolution, the decision has adversely affected the country’s diplomatic ties with the Middle Eastern countries. The ban on falconry hunting of houbara bustard could further affect the already weakened relations.”

The review petition said that falconry is not merely a sport for the Arabs, as it is their most cherished custom. “Unesco recognises it as cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Therefore, allowing Arab dignitaries to hunt would be pivotal in restoring Pakistan’s deteriorating ties with their respective countries.”

The AAG argued that the issue pertained to external affairs and that the superior courts had always deferred to the judgment of the executive in such matters. “Ties with the Middle East have a direct impact on the livelihood of millions of expat Pakistanis living and working in the region.”

Read: Houbara bustard: Balochistan seeks to legalise hunting of migratory bird

The petition also said that foreign dignitaries bring in considerable funds, which are used exclusively for the uplift of the people living in the hunting areas.

The government pointed out that houbara bustard is not listed as an ‘endangered species’, as it is categorised as a ‘vulnerable species’. “Being vulnerable and being endangered are two different things, which entail different obligations to conserve the species accordingly.”

The AAG said that the use of biodiversity is well recognised throughout the world for the economic benefit and social well-being of societies. “The right to enjoy life with abundant wildlife species is, therefore, directly proportional to the well-being of the people living in close proximity to the species, and they cannot be denied its benefits.”

Read: Houbara bustard: K-P govt refuses hunting permits to royalty

The government claimed that due to the efforts of the Houbara Foundation International in Pakistan, the population of houbara bustard has been stabilised.

The petition argued that the court had failed to appropriate the true spirit and scope of the international treaties, and requested the court to hear the matter anew.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (21)

Usman Fayyaz | 8 years ago | Reply When Nawaz Sharif and ishaq Dar and many more like them have billion of dollars worth of investment in those countries. Which arab world knows, they have illegal undeclare money. They will treat Pakistan as granted. This is real face of Pakistan foreign policy. How cheap they are. How low they can go to safe gard their personal interest.

Woz Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply I would like to say this is a wake up call as to our loss of sovereignty, but we all know where we stand. May the future bring us a better path through honest discussion , less corrupt leaders and less rhetoric and propaganda.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Rex Minor | 8 years ago | Reply The review petition said that falconry is not merely a sport for the Arabs, as it is their most cherished custom. “Unesco recognises it as cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Therefore, allowing Arab dignitaries to hunt would be pivotal in restoring Pakistan’s deteriorating ties with their respective countries.” This is a bizaare statement coming from an elected Government, more sickening than the Elephant hunting visit of the Spanish monarch Huan Carlos which forced him to retire.. Rex Minor

Besharam Khan | 8 years ago | Reply from Osama to houbara, Pakistan is Hunter's paradise

vinsin | 8 years ago | Reply @ahad: Fact is they never needed you except for slavery. You follow their religion.

roadkashehzada | 8 years ago | Reply very shameful on part of government of pakistan. first it was camel jockeys and now its poor bird. wht else is at stake for the so called relations which blew in thin years couple of months ago. our leaders are selling nation so cheap. and i dont believe politicians can take this line without blessing of khakis

Jahan | 8 years ago | Reply Stupid petitioner for money sake you're destroying this country's fauna and flora environment and just so you know your ties won't deteriorate over bird. They have no respect for common Pakistani and still you're kneeling down to their feet? They're releasing the animal in their environment here in dubai and naming it Asian bustard instead of Pakistani bustard. I hope you get arrested for wasting courts time.

Kamran Azim | 8 years ago | Reply Birds can spoil ties! shouldn't we respect other country's laws.

Raheel | 8 years ago | Reply There should be a complete ban on the hunting. Since the middle east prefers imports of indian products and Indian nationals over Pakistani and treat their fellow Muslims like 3rd grade, why do we forget that we are a sovereign nation. Just for some dirhams or riyals we just give up? The Foreign minister should ask for their support on Pakistani products like rice which Arabs have replaced with Indian products completely diminishing our exports from 1.5 million tons to half a million ton exports in five years time.

N K Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Let the ties deteriorate! Let the Attorney-General dress up like an over-sized Houbara bustard and hide in the bushes. He will find many takers from all over the world who want a trophy prize like Cyril the lion and the huge elephant that was recently killed in Kenya by a 'great white hunter. SHAME on the UNESCO for declaring Houbara bustard killing a tradition of the Arabs. They did not think twice when the Masai warriors in Kenya were told not to kill lions to get tribal recognition of manhood, but instead to place a an on the back of a rhino. Remember the golden rule: Morality is one-way street. Salams

Sodomite | 8 years ago | Reply Why don't these Arabs go to India and hunt there??? And if our ties are based on providing young Jawans to fight Arab wars and to wipe out wildlife in Pakistan, as they have done in their lands, then its failure of our Foreign Policy and we need to inculcate friendship with those countries that hold values that cherish the spirit of Islam rather than cause pain and suffering to both people and wildlife.

ajeet | 8 years ago | Reply The Arab masters will get very angry and start supporting Modi now.

Shocked | 8 years ago | Reply So, Pak - mideast ties are just linked to a bird? What a stupid petition that is. I pray to the court to sentence 10 years imprisonment to the petitioner for wasting the court's time.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply If it is up to this government, it will lie prostrate to,it's Middle East masters.

Atif | 8 years ago | Reply The ban is completely justified. No one should be allowed to hunt endangered species. Genuine visitors to Pakistan but Arabs coming here to kill endangered species --- STAY IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY, DON'T COME TO PAKISTAN.

wiserneighbour | 8 years ago | Reply After reading this report , I wonder ,the ties between the so called Islamic state of Pakistan and Arab countries are so fragile,permitting to hunt endangered birds determines the strategic relations.If they can grow greenery in desert,why cant they rear birds for this cruel sports,in their own country?

miristan | 8 years ago | Reply Middle East hunters already beheading so many Pakistani every year. Now you want them to come to Pakistan and hunt birds and keep politicians and corrupt Government officials pocket warm. These guys never helped Pakistan except few politicians.

Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply This shows a low self-esteem by govt. Very strange as if Pakistanis are treated different than others in gulf countries. Shame on govt. and those who voted for them.

Rizwan | 8 years ago | Reply So what will happen to Middle East ties when the houbara bustard is hunted to extinction?

ahad | 8 years ago | Reply So now Shameless SHEIKHS have come to this. they think pakistan as their estate, look at their attitude. its good time we come out of ARAB influence and show them their auqat. i know many of us will argue oh many of pakis work in arab countries lets nt make them angry. so throw this argument out of window get this in our head. THEY NEED US MORE THAN WE NEED THEM.

Dr. Shahid Masood | 8 years ago | Reply This is what happens when Donors (Arab) forces their aid-recipient (Pak) to fulfill their wishes, even if it is wrong & shameful in front of its citizens & world.

Replying to X