The Houbara Bustard ( Named Taloorâ in Sindhi language) is 60 cm long with an 140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck.
Every year at the onset of winter, millions of wild birds from cold northern regions i.e. Siberia migrate towards the warmer regions of the world.
The Houbara Bustard is also listed in the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which is known as the Bonn Convention.
Pakistan is regarded as an important wintering ground for migratory birds.
The reason is Indus Flyway that provides a significant series of waterways and wetlands all the way long from northern mountains to the Indus Delta. Almost 70% of migratory birds that enter Pakistan finally roost on various wetlands of Sindh province, while the rest stay behind in other provinces.
Until late 1970s, the Arab royals used to go to Iran and Afghanistan as well for hunting this bird. But since the fall of Shah of Iran and Afghanistan war, Pakistan became the sole destination for the bird hunters. In 1912, the British government banned the hunting of houbara on the subcontinent. Pakistan also imposed a permanent ban on hunting of the bird in 1972. But nothing worked in front of our royal guests from Arab states because they believe the meat of this bird has mythical aphrodisiac qualities.
Hunting of Houbara bustard by Pakistanis is banned under wildlife laws
Despite strong opposition by the Environment Ministry, The federal government has issued 28 special permits to the rulers, members of ruling families and other dignitaries of four Gulf States to hunt the internationally protected Houbara bustard during the 2010-2011 winter seasons.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, has been allotted hunting areas in Sindh Sukkur, Ghotki, Nawabshah and Sanghar districts
Because of the increased hunting of the bird, especially in its winter habitats, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has classified it as an endangered migratory bird.
30 houbara hunting permits issued to Gulf “dignitaries”
Hunting of the internationally protected migratory bird is banned under various local and international conservation laws and Pakistanis are not allowed to hunt the precious bird, sources said.
During the hunting season 2012-13, the sources said, the favour had been extended to the royal families of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, State of Qatar and Kingdom of Bahrain, including three rulers (kings), four crown prices, an uncle of a ruler, brothers and other close family members of the rulers.
The sources said that the maximum number of districts/ areas, 14 to be exact, had been allocated to UAE ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. They added that he was also the single hunter who had been allocated areas in the three provinces — Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan — where the houbara bustard stays after flying from the much colder central Asian habitat to spend its winters.
While the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest and wealthiest country in the Arabian peninsula, it has been allocated just two hunting permits unlike the UAE that has been given 12 permits, Qatar 11 permits and Bahrain five permits, according to the sources.
Almost the entire arid region, which provided temporary abode to the migratory birds and spread in all the four provinces of Pakistan, had been allocated to these 30 foreign hunters, the sources said.
The names of the hunters and areas allocated to them, according to the list prepared by the foreign ministry are:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the first deputy prime minister and defence minister, has been given a permit for hunting in districts of Dera Bugti, Dera Murad Jamali, Nasirabad and Jaffarbad and Duki in Loralai district in Balochistan and Vehari, Multan (Tehsil Shujabad), Mianwali and Sargodha in Punjab.
Tabuk Governor Prince Fahd bin Abdul Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been allocated districts of Chagai, Awaran and Noshki (excluding the Noshki city) in Balochistan.
Kingdom of Bahrain
An uncle of the King of Bahrain, Sheikh Ebrahim bin Hamad bin Abdullah al Khalifa, has been issued a permit for hunting in Mastung district of Balochistan.
A member of the ruling family, Sheikh Ahmed bin Ali Al Khalifa, has been allowed hunting in Malir district (excluding the Malir cantonment and Dhabeji areas) in Sindh.
Another member of the ruling family, Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has been allotted the Malir district (excluding Malir Cantonment and Dhabeji areas).
Defence affairs adviser to the king Sheikh Abdullah bin Salman Al Khalifa has been allowed hunting in Jati tehsil of Thatta district, Sindh.
Bahrain defence forces commander in chief Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa has been given permit for hunting in Toisar tehsil of Musakhel district in Balochistan.
Abu Dhabi, UAE
UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has been allowed to hunt in districts of Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab, and Sukkur, Ghotki, Nawabshah and Sanghar in Sindh and Zhob, Ormara, Gwadar, Pasni, Kharan, excluding Naag Dara (Naag valley is a breeding area), Panjgur and Washuk in Balochistan.
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE armed forces Lieutenant General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has been allowed to hunt in Lehri tehsil of Sibi district (Domki area only).
UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has been allowed to hunt in Khairpur district, including Kot Diji (not across Nara Canal) in Sindh.
UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is ruler’s representative in the western region, has been allotted Lehri tehsil of Sibi district (excluding Domki), old Kutchi and Sani Shoran of Bolan district in Balochistan and Khairpur Nathan Shah, Ghaibi Dero, Shahdadkot, Khairpur (area across Nara canal), Tehsil Johi and Fareedabad union council in Dadu district of Sindh.
Another member of the royal family, Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has been given Qila Saifullah district, including Kar Khurassan (less subdivision Muslim Bagh) in Balochistan.
Dubai, UAE
Ruler of Dubai and vice president of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has been allowed to hunt in Khuzdar and Lasbela districts of Balochistan and in Muzaffargarh district of Punjab.
Crown prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has been allotted Bhakkar and Khushab districts of Punjab and Jamshoro district of Sindh.
Deputy ruler of Dubai and Finance Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum has been given Bahawalpur district and Fort Abbas tehsil of Bahawalnagar district.
Deputy chief of Dubai police and general security Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also a member of the ruling family, has been allowed to hunt in Umerkot and Tharparkar, including Mithi and Nagarparkar, (excluding the protected area).
Sheikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, another member of the ruling family of Dubai, has been allocated Badin district, the Jangshahi area in Thatta and Dhabeji in Malir district in Sindh.
Major General Sheikh Al Mur bin Maktoum Al Maktoum has been given Jhang district of Punjab.
Nasir Abdullah Lootah, a government official of Dubai, has been issued a permit for hunting in Thatta district (excluding tehsils of Shah Bander and Jung Shahi) in Sindh.
State of Qatar
Emir of State of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has been allotted the Bahawalnagar (excluding Fort Abbas tehsil) district in Punjab for hunting.
Heir Apparent of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has been permitted to hunt in Jacobabad district, Sindh. Ex-heir apparent to the State of Qatar Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has been allowed hunting in Musakhel and Drug tehsils of Musakhel district in Balochistan.
Qatar prime minister and foreign minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabbar Al Thani has been allocated the Muslimbagh subdivision in Qila Saifullah district, Balochistan.
A brother of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has been allotted Loralai district (excluding the Duki area) in Balochistan.
Another royal family member, Sheikh Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, has been issued permit for hunting in district Layyah in Punjab and Dadu City in Sindh.
Qatar royal family’s supreme council member Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Thani Al Thani has been allotted Turbat district in Balochistan for hunting.
Another member of the royal family, Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Thani, has been issued a permit for hunting in Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Yet another member of the royal family, Sheikh Thani bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani, has been allowed to hunt in Surab tehsil in Kalat district, Balochistan.
Similarly, another member of the ruling family, Sheikh Mohammad bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Thani Al Thani, has been allowed hunting in Barkhan district and Kingri tehsil in Musakhel district of Balochistan.
Qatar prime minister’s brother Sheikh Falah bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani has been issued a permit for hunting in Jhal Magsi district of Balochistan.
Code of conduct
A code of conduct issued by the ministry to the hunters prescribes a bag limit of 100 birds and they have been advised neither to poach on chicks or eggs nor to take live birds and not to use firearms for hunting which is to be carried out only through falcons.
Representatives of the wildlife department and liaison officials will accompany the hunters for monitoring and ensuring that the code is being followed.
