The Lahore High Court Chief Justice on Monday observed that apparently the permits to Qatri royal family members for hunting of houbara bustard were issued by ignoring legal requirements. LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah gave these remarks while hearing a petition challenging the issuance of permits for hunting of houbara bustard to Qatri royal family members.
The CJ issued notices to the Wild Life Department (WLD) for December 21 and directed it to present a copy of summary sent to cabinet for amendments in the schedule of WLD. A citizen, Naeem Sadiq, through advocate Sardar Kaleem Ilyas submitted that the foreign ministry issued licences to the Qatris despite ban on hunting of houbara bustard. He said the government had issued these licences with wrong interpretation of a Supreme Court judgement which had banned issuance of such licences.