Daily Times

Justice Shakilur Rehman Khan of Lahore High Court on Wednesday summoned wildlife secretary for submission of wildlife policy for the protection of blackbucks to ensure no hunting shall be permitted to any foreign and local dignitaries.

The judge directed the secretary for November 19 to apprise about the steps taken to protect the endangered specie of black bucks.

Black Bucks Commission Chairperson Dr Pervez Hassan appeared before court and submitted that the previous governments had negligent towards protection of wildlife and specifically black bucks and at present no policy existed. He sought three months time to submit commission report on the protection of wildlife.

The court on June 6 had constituted this commission to investigate on the extinction of black bucks and the propose measures to safeguard the protected specie.

The judge was hearing a petition seeking ban on hunting of internationally protected black bucks.

Petitioner counsel Sheraz Zaka pointed out that two years had passed,yet no comments nor any reply had been filed. He said that in Lal Sohanpura Park, Bahawalpur, black bucks were being stolen and being hunted.

He informed that in India recently a popular was senteced for five years imprisonment by trial court in rajkot for hunting blackbucks. He submitted that according to third schedule of Punjab Wildlife Preservation, Protection Wildlife Act 1972, blackbucks was a protected specie and Punjab govt is negligent to perform it’s statutory obligations.

Earlier had had submitted that the Supreme Court had already given its observation that while giving permits in a particular area it must also be taken into consideration what steps have been taken by the licensee to economically develop the areas where permits have been issued to hunt houbara bustard. He also said that the decision making of foreign affairs must be seen that how the permits were issued without any specification from ministry of climate change.

He submitted that in exchange an undertaking was given to the governments of developing countries that economic development would take place in those areas where exploration of resources and licensing permits of hunting is granted. He further submitted that it was unfortunate that in Jhang and Bhakkar no economic development had taken place despite the fact that SC had already issued directions that economic development of those areas would take place where hunting permits were given.

Published in Daily Times, November 15^th 2018.