Watch: Smuggled falcon refuses to let go of Imran Khan
Twitter has a field day as video shows PTI chiarman releasing endangered birds in Peshawar
PHOTO: PTI
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government seems to be on the forefront of a crackdown on illegal hunting and smuggling of rare birds as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan was filmed releasing Saker falcons on Tuesday.
In a video released on Twitter, the PTI chairman is seen releasing the endangered birds, initially with some difficulty, which were prevented from being smuggled to Karachi from Peshawar on Sunday.
Houbara bustard: K-P govt refuses hunting permits to royaltyldlife officials
The PTI chairman released the falcons as K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Jahangir Tareen and other PTI leaders look on with glee.
While some praised the PTI chief, others took the opportunity to turn it around into commentary on the cricketer-turned-politician’s recent divorce.
“Fly, Reham. You are now free,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another said, “Birds just keep clinging to Immy Bhai, no matter how much he tries to get rid of them.”
Earlier, a tweet said the PTI chairman would release the falcons in air.
At least two Saker falcons were prevented from being smuggled to Karachi from the city on Sunday. “The birds were netted in Afghanistan and were then smuggled to Peshawar,” Wildlife Sub-divisional Forest Officer Sardar Ali told The Express Tribune.
Caught mid-flight: 22 rare Saker falcons seized by wildlife officials
“The owner was trying to transport the falcons to Karachi where buyers from Gulf countries gather to buy these illegally netted birds of prey.” He added the pair seized is worth at least Rs6 million and was found in a house in Ittehad Colony in the city. “The smuggler has been arrested.”
Peshawar is considered the biggest black market of Saker falcons in the world; they are falcons mainly used in Arab falconry.
In a video released on Twitter, the PTI chairman is seen releasing the endangered birds, initially with some difficulty, which were prevented from being smuggled to Karachi from Peshawar on Sunday.
Houbara bustard: K-P govt refuses hunting permits to royaltyldlife officials
The PTI chairman released the falcons as K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Jahangir Tareen and other PTI leaders look on with glee.
While some praised the PTI chief, others took the opportunity to turn it around into commentary on the cricketer-turned-politician’s recent divorce.
“Fly, Reham. You are now free,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another said, “Birds just keep clinging to Immy Bhai, no matter how much he tries to get rid of them.”
Earlier, a tweet said the PTI chairman would release the falcons in air.
At least two Saker falcons were prevented from being smuggled to Karachi from the city on Sunday. “The birds were netted in Afghanistan and were then smuggled to Peshawar,” Wildlife Sub-divisional Forest Officer Sardar Ali told The Express Tribune.
Caught mid-flight: 22 rare Saker falcons seized by wildlife officials
“The owner was trying to transport the falcons to Karachi where buyers from Gulf countries gather to buy these illegally netted birds of prey.” He added the pair seized is worth at least Rs6 million and was found in a house in Ittehad Colony in the city. “The smuggler has been arrested.”
Peshawar is considered the biggest black market of Saker falcons in the world; they are falcons mainly used in Arab falconry.