MITHI, Sept 23: District Council Tharparkar has demanded a blanket ban on hunting permits and harsh action against illegal poaching and hunting of near-extinct wildlife in the district.

The council, through a resolution passed by its session on Friday, expressed grave concern over illegal hunting and poaching, particularly by Arab dignitaries.

Arbab Abdul Malik who tabled the resolution said that the already dwindling number of wildlife which barely survived long recurring spells of drought risked getting wiped out if Arab dignitaries continued to get special hunting permits.

They hunt houbara, deer, falcon and other animals. “How can the government justify its claim of breaking the begging bowl, when it continues to issue hunting permits to Arabs,” he remarked.

A member, Guman Singh, said that in many instances the area people tried to stop illegal hunters but each time they returned soon after greasing the wildlife officials’ palms.

Raja Afzal alleged at the point of order that the Arab dignitaries’ henchmen were a nuisance to the locals. They turn the areas where they erect their hunting camps into virtual no-go-areas, he said.

The convenor, Abdul Karim Rahoomo, said in his ruling at the conclusion of the debate that many elements were using the licence and hunting permits to hunt deer, peacock and other rare wild species and sell them to wealthy people for high prices.

“The federal as well as provincial authorities would be requested not to issue hunting permits for Thar,” as the practice had diminished the number of wildlife species to the point of extinction, he said.

The council passed a total of fourteen resolutions, majority of them about development schemes. Forty-five members attended the session.