World | India
Bustard hunting gets green light
The Punjab Government has amended rules banning the hunting of houbara bustard, a rare wild bird, for three months for foreign dignitaries.
- By Amir Mir, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 October 30, 2006
Lahore: The Punjab Government has amended rules banning the hunting of houbara bustard, a rare wild bird, for three months for foreign dignitaries.
The Wildlife Department sources say that the hunting of the houbara bustard was prohibited under third schedule of the Wildlife Act, 1974.
However, the Punjab Government has recently excluded houbara bustard from this schedule according to which the bird had been declared an endangered species.
The sources said that the dignitaries start pouring into Pakistan by the end of October every year to hunt houbara bustard and other endangered species including partridge.
Security
The dignitaries visit Bhakkar, Layyah, Muzzafargarh, Khushab, Dera Ghazi Khan and Jhang during the hunting season, which commences from November and continues till March.
The Wildlife Department sources said that the Home Department had constituted security teams comprising officials from police, forest, livestock and wildlife departments to provide foolproof security to the guests.
List of areas
The Punjab Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries Departments and the competent authority exercised powers conferred upon them under Section 45(i) of the Punjab Wildlife Act, 1974 to relax rules and allow the hunting of houbara bustard, which is also known as mequeen's bustard.
The Punjab Home Department has already issued a list of the hunting areas and names of the dignitaries besides directing the authorities concerned to provide the best facilities to them in 10 districts of the province.
The dignitaries are expected to visit Bhakkar, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khushab, Rahimyar Khan and Rajanpur during the hunting season.
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