Islamabad: The high court in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Friday ordered the cancellation of areas allotted for hunting of the rare houbara bustard and other birds in the region.
It is illegal to hunt for the houbara, an endangered species, and other wild birds, said the Balochistan High Court (BHC) in an order.
A two-judge bench of BHC issued the order over petitions filed by two citizens challenging houbara hunting.
In 2012, the federal government had issued 29 special permits to foreign dignitaries for hunting the internationally protected houbara bustard.
The court directed the departments concerned to apprise it regarding the action for the protection of the houbara and other birds in Balochistan.
In Islamabad, the government told the National Assembly that the policy of hunting permits was reviewed every year by the government.
Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir said hunting permits are issued on receipt of requests from respective embassies and after the approval of the prime minister.
He said most of these dignitaries have taken keen interest in the development of the areas allocated to them for hunting.
The minister said it is purely a matter of goodwill and Pakistan is not compromising its sovereignty.
