The Supreme Court lifted the ban on the hunting of houbara bustard today. A five member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jalami on January 8, 2016 after hearing the arguments of all had reserved the judgment, which was announced on Friday. Four judges were in favour of hunting of houbara bustard, while Justice Qazi Faez Isa opposed it.
Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt pleaded before the court to allow the sustainable hunting of houbara bustard in accordance with law. He submitted that they respect and abide by the international conventions signed by Pakistan.
Additional Advocate General The Punjab had submitted that they were not heard by the apex court. It contended that under Section 9 of Punjab Wildlife Act, permission was granted for hunting houbara bustard. The said law was not yet struck down, the additional advocate Punjab had told the court.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on December 10, 2015 while hearing the review petition of the federation had referred to Chief Justice for constituting a larger bench.
The Supreme Court on August 19, 2015 had banned the hunting of migrating birds houbara bustards in Pakistan after cancelling the licenses/permits granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Gulf States Sheikhs.
The federation and provinces filed review petition filed against its verdict banning the hunting of houbara bustard. They have asked the apex court to allow for poaching of houbara bustard and contended that it should be the authority of executive to grant licenses and permits for the hunting.