A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, heard a Petition filed by the complainant, Aamir Zahoorul Haq against the illegal hunting permits issued to royal visitors from Gulf countries for hunting the Houbara bustard. According to the Petition all the licences for hunting Houbara bustard should be cancelled. Furthermore, the Petitioner also stated that hunting permits were issued, despite the existence of the ban on the hunting of Houbara Bustard.
In the reply, the Advocate General Baluchistan argued for the dismissal of the Petition adding that Hunting should only be carried under strict supervision of the Provincial Government with allowance given only to those Arabs who have valid permissions. The Baluchistan Government also rejected the Petitioner’s claim that 2,200 birds were killed during the last season. He also said the provincial government had allowed hunting in view of the Economic Coordination Committee’s May 2014 decision.
Pertaining to the question of law under which the houbara bustard hunting has been allowed, Justice Dost said whether it is the provincial governments’ authority to permit illegal hunting after the 18th Amendment. He also requested for the compilation of all the Petitions in relation to the matter claiming the federal government did not issue any permit of hunting after the verdict of Balochistan High Court and Sindh High Court.
