Bird-brained policies

Our Foreign Office continues to act in ways that leave one wondering. The entire thrust of many of our foreign ministry mandarins has been to ensure plum postings for themselves and their near and dear ones and to try and make the most money through allowances and other earnings while on such postings.

Of course there are exceptions to this, but generally the Pakistani Embassy abroad today is a sad and disappointing place where very little is done to help hapless nationals and people of Pakistani origin overseas, while everything is done by the staff, which includes the very able civil service officers, of helping themselves.

Houbara bustard: Bird hunting ban may affect Mideast ties

The Pakistani diplomat of today is a sad replacement to the earlier wizards we had in service. We believe in quick fixes. The world may have changed, but our Foreign Office mandarins have not.

Take, for instance, the issue of the Houbara Bustard, the endangered bird, which seems to have taken centre-stage in our relations with Gulf countries. The government has once again proposed yet another assault on the country’s declining Houbara population “in the interest of friendly relations with Middle Eastern countries.”

The ban on hunting the Houbara bustard could cast a shadow over relations between Pakistan and some Middle East states, the government has told our top court. 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’.

SC imposes ban on houbara bustard hunting

But the government’s review petition states 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 the Houbara bustard could further affect the already weakened relations.”

If we believe this, our relations with Gulf sheikhdoms rests on one poor little bird. Let them hunt, and our relations will be back to normal. But the gems don’t end there. The review petition says 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 argues that the issue pertains to external affairs and that the superior courts have 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.” In other words, ban Houbara hunting and Pakistanis will lose their jobs in the Gulf.

Houbara bustard: Balochistan seeks to legalise hunting of migratory bird

It may be noted, however, that almost never have Pakistanis been asked to leave Gulf countries based on any cooling of relations. The Yemen crisis is a case in point. Despite Pakistan’s polite decline of sending troops, no Pakistani national was asked to leave any Gulf state on account of this.

But there are more gems in the case presented by our government. Its petition has pointed out that the 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.”

One wonders about this distinction and also how countries in the region like India and Afghanistan deal with the issue. There are no permits issued there for Houbara hunting. But relations with the Gulf are excellent.

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

In his final point, the AAG also says 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.” Of course, this is the crux of the matter. When we talk close proximity, are we by any chance talking about politicians who find refuge in the Gulf states when they are hounded out of office for their misdeeds? Maybe that’s the main point. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2015.

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