Hunting ban: SC asks govt to provide proof of Houbara Bustard's 'rising population'

Apex court had imposed a ban on hunting of endangered birds, a ruling challenged by the federal and provincial govts

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has asked the federal government to provide substantial evidence that the population of the endangered Houbara Bustard has increased in the last two years.

A three-judge bench of the apex court made the directive on review petitions filled by the federal and provincial governments against the apex court’s judgment imposing a ban on the hunting of Houbara bustards.



During the hearing, Justice Qazi Faez Isah remarked that even if the population of the endangered bird is increasing, let it increase, while questioning the federation's interest in allowing the hunting of the bird.

Earlier on August 19, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on the hunting of the endangered Houbara bustard.

A three-judge bench of the SC, headed by then chief justice Jawad S Khawaja ,ordered the cancellation of all licenses issued by the federal government to Arab royals for hunting the bird.



The apex court rejected all the appeals filed by the federal and provincial governments to allow the hunting, arguing that there was legal provision to allow hunts under specific guidelines in addition to permits being issued for a small number of birds.

Later, Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Abdul Rehman on behalf of the federal government filed a review petition against the apex court’s verdict. The federal government had contended that the ban on hunting Tiloor could affect the frail ties between Pakistan and the Middle East.

The government’s review petition said the apex court, while issuing the verdict, 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 petition said.

It said falconry is not merely a sport for the Arabs but 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 to restoring Pakistan’s deteriorating ties,” it said.

In its review petition, the Punjab government stated that the top court’s judgment did not take into account the fact that the issue regarding the permission to allow hunting of the bird constituted an inter-provincial matter.