Bahrain royals given bustard hunt permit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has issued special permits to the King of Bahrain and five royal family members to hunt 100 houbara bustards, an endangered bird species, notwithstanding growing criticism against the move.

Originally an inhabitant of the colder central Asian region, the houbara bustard migrates southwards every year to avoid harsh weather conditions and spend the winter in a relatively warm environment in Pakistan.

The permits have been issued for the 2019-20 hunting season to King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al Khalifa, his uncle Sheikh Ebrahim, his cousin and interior minister Lt Gen Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah al Khalifa and other influential people of the kingdom, Dawn newspaper reported.

The allotted hunting area for the king is Jamshoro district in the Sindh province, the report said. Due to its dwindling population, the migratory bird is not only protected under various international nature conservation treaties, its hunting is also banned under local wildlife protection laws. Pakistanis are not allowed to hunt this bird.

It is not rare for Pakistan to issue special permits to hunt these birds. This is the second permit for the Arab rulers after one issued to royal family of Qatar: Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, his uncle, brother and seven other royal dignitaries.

CAPITAL FLOW TO BE HIT IF FATF BLACKLISTS PAK

Capital inflows to Pakistan could be hit if it is blacklisted by the terror financing and money laundering watchdog Financial Action Task Force, IMF said in a report. FATF had warned in October that Pakistan would be put on the ‘Black List’ if it did not comply with the remaining 22 points in a list of 27 questions.

“A potential blacklisting by FATF could result in a freeze of capital flows and lower investment to Pakistan,” said the IMF in its staff-level report .

NUKE SCIENTIST MOVES SC FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Pakistan’s top nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking enforcement of his fundamental rights, including free movement across the country, media reports said on Tuesday.

Khan said his rights could not be curtailed under the garb of reasonable restrictions, the Dawn news reported.