The Balochistan government has asked Islamabad not to issue
permits for hunting in the province saying it is beyond the mandate of
the federal government after the passage of the 18th Constitutional
amendment.
The Balochistan cabinet on Friday evening
directed all 34 deputy commissioners of the province not to allow anyone
to hunt in their respective districts.
Chief Minister
Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Zehri chaired the cabinet meeting, which
endorsed the Balochistan Wildlife (Protection, Preservation,
Conservation, and Management) Act 2014 and decided to implement it in
letter and spirit.
Without mentioning the houbara
bustard, the provincial cabinet also asked the Foreign Office not to
issue licences to anyone for hunting in Balochistan.
This
decision has come a few days after security forces detained four Qatari
nationals near the Pak-Afghan border in Noshki district on charges of
illegal hunting. Five locals were also charged with collaborating with
the foreigners for illegal hunting in the area.
The
cabinet decided that the reservations and apprehensions of elected
representatives in connection with the issuance of licenses and permits
for hunting in the province would be addressed in due time.
