November 12, 2003	Wednesday	Ramazan 16, 1424

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DERA GHAZI KHAN, Nov 11: The district police have sought the help of Punjab Constabulary to extend security to UAE and Houbara Foundation teams camping here to facilitate ‘sustainable hunt’ of houbara bustard by foreign dignitaries, it is learnt. The PC help was sought after a couple of HF and UAE camps were ransacked allegedly by local hunters whose licences to net falcon and some others birds had been cancelled by the Wildlife authorities.

The Inspector General of Police, Punjab, through a letter dated Sept 24, had directed the district police authorities to devise a security plan for the foreign dignitaries of UAE, who would visit Dera and Rajanpur districts in November and December.

According to a security plan worked out by the district police, each camp was to be manned by a team of six policemen headed by a sub-inspector whereas 10 pickups were supposed to be patrolling around the five camps in DG Khan.

The plan, however, was not implemented fully. At the time of an attack by some local hunters on a camp in Chak Mughlu, only two constables — Iftikhar and Rasheed — were on duty whose weapons were also taken away by the assailants.

Sources said a contingent of 100 Punjab Constabulary personnel would arrive here by Wednesday (today). Meanwhile, Sakhi Sarwar police have registered a case against Muhammad Khan Khosa, Younis , Khamisa Khan and their unidentified accomplice on the report of wildlife game watcher Abdul Latif under section 392 on the charge of attacking the camp and snatching valuables. The accused are at large.

The FIR carries the name of local Khosa Chief of Dalana, Aasif Nadeem Khosa, for masterminding the attack.

Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts are houbara sanctuaries where hunting of this rare migratory bird is banned. But the government sets aside the ban when it comes to appeasing the foreign dignitaries.