A constitutional petition has been filed in Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday, seeking cancellation of Houbara Bustard (migratory birds) hunting permits issued for 2015. The petition was filed by a resident of Islamabad Waheed Mehmood Khan through his counsel Advocate Yasir Mahmood Chaudhry under article 199 of the constitution of Islamic republic of Pakistan 1973, challenging the issuance of permits to foreigners for hunting of houbara bustard.
The Registrar office of the IHC fixed the petition before a single-member bench of Justice Athar Minallah for hearing along with objection, as the petitioner failed to provide a copy of any Houbara Bustard's hunting permit. The petitioner made the federation of Pakistan through Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs respondent in the petition.
The petitioner prayed before the court to issue direction to the federal government for the protection of Houbara Bustard and stop foreigners from hunting the birds. The petitioner also prayed before the court to cancel all the Houbara Bustard's hunting permits issued for 2015. He further prayed the court to restrain the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from issuing Houbara Bustard hunting permit in the future.
The petitioner said that the hunting of Houbara Bustard banned in Pakistan as this bird is internationally protected, adding that the Ministry deliberately is violating the Article 4 and 5 of the constitution while issuing the hunting permits. The foreign permit holders sometimes bring Falcons with them to hunt the Houbara Bustard for which special permits are issued by the respondent. The respondent also issue permit for the temporary import of Falcons and for their subsequent re-export also, he added.
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