Houbara bustard ban: SC asks govt for proof of ‘rising population’

Govt contends the restrictions will mar ties with Middle East

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the federal government to provide evidence to substantiate its stance that the population of Houbara bustard, an endangered species, has increased in the country.

The three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by chief justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali was hearing petitions filed by federal and provincial governments  seeking reconsideration of the court’s verdict earlier this year which banned foreign dignitaries from hunting the vulnerable migratory bird Houbara bustard. However, the federal government failed to convince the bench to set aside its August 19 ruling.

Wealthy Arab dignitaries travel to Balochistan every winter to hunt the Houbara bustard using falcons, a practice that has sparked controversy in recent years because of the rare bird’s dwindling numbers. Issuing a decree in the controversial case earlier this year, the Supreme Court banned hunting of the Houbara bustard in a decision welcomed by wildlife conservationists.

In its petition, the federal administration contended that the ban on hunting Houbara bustards could mar Pakistan’s ties with the Middle East.

The government’s review petition stated that before issuing its ruling earlier this year, the apex court ignored Pakistan’s relations with countries in the Middle East in the backdrop of the Yemen crisis. According to the petition, the decision has adversely affected Islamabad’s diplomatic ties with countries in the region.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2015.