February 25, 2008	Monday	Safar 17, 1429

KHANEWAL, Feb 24: The trophy hunting of various animals started here at Perowal Forest on Sunday and it will continue for three weeks up to March 15.

Nearly 100 hunters from Pakistan and other countries of the world are participating in the hunt for male blue bulls, blackbucks, Mouflon Sheep, black-deer and other wild species.

“The game has started now and 20 of the hunters participated on Sunday,” informed Khanewal District Wildlife Officer Muhammad Irfan Farooqi. He said he didn’t know the exact number of the hunters, however, he confirmed entries of some known foreign hunters.

He said wildlife secretary Naveed Akram, director-general Muhammad Asif and other senior officials inaugurated the trophy hunting programme.

Twenty of the hunters will be trying to shoot black bucks, another 20 have registered to hunt the blue bull, 41 have opted for the hog deer and 15 for the mouflon sheep, wildlife officials said. “The fee for shooting a male blue bull is Rs60,000 and that for a black buck, Rs40,000. To hunt a hog deer, you must pay Rs21,000 and for a mouflon sheep, Rs25,000.

“If you accidentally shoot and injure a second animal, you must pay double. To ensure maximum comfort for the hunters, the director-general has provided camping facilities in the park,” according to a newspaper ad.

— Khalid Hasnain