The Finance Division on Thursday released Rs250 million for a 'Houbara Bustard and Migratory Birds Endowment Fund' upon the directions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

In October, the prime minister had approved the fund, which aims at boosting the habitats of migratory birds, particularly the endangered Houbara bustard. The fund will be used to increase the population of migratory birds in the country.

The Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Climate Change will coordinate with the provinces to operationalise the fund.

Last week, the federal government had issued special permits to three princes from Saudi Arabia to hunt the houbara bustard, an internationally protected bird, in Balochistan and Punjab during the hunting season.

The hunting permit holders include the governor of Tabuk and two sons of the former ruler of Saudi Arabia, the late King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The houbara bustard is not only protected under various international conventions and agreements signed by Pakistan, its hunting is also banned under local wildlife protection laws.

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Comments (28) Closed

Riaz

Dec 22, 2016 02:07pm

They want to use tax-payer's money to increase HB population so Arabs can hunt them. Wow!

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furqan

Dec 22, 2016 02:11pm

Stop issuing hunting permits to arab royals, these species will flourish on their own

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Arun-KS

Dec 22, 2016 03:07pm

Grossly unjustified.

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rama

Dec 22, 2016 03:13pm

@furqan Then how will politician make money and get the good will of foreign guest ?

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Syed F. Hussaini

Dec 22, 2016 03:29pm

He issued hunting permits last week and released two hundred fifty million rupees today to protect the same birds? Although it is not his money but, he may really have lost comprehension of numbers, themselves--250,000,000 rupees. It is pointless. He is definitely not guilty by way of...

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PASHTUN_KHAN

Dec 22, 2016 03:27pm

disgusting. this was only done publicly because of the backlash of the people. Bravo to the People of Pakistan who stood against the destruction of our God given gift by these Arabs who think the can buy whatever and whomever they want. If the people can now channel this passion into helping the poor, destitute then we can have the next generation that will produce a true patriotic leader worthy of our respect who is equally feared and respected by the world and loved by his people.

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Nazir

Dec 22, 2016 03:39pm

This is a sick joke, or am I dreaming? Funds released to protect and increase the populations of these poor harmless birds, in order to have them slaughtered again by the so called "royals" ?

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Unbiased

Dec 22, 2016 04:10pm

250 million to protect HB..n 25 Princes to hunt them...wow...such an irony..

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Ash

Dec 22, 2016 04:16pm

Irony, PM is giving license to hunt and tax payers money released to protect them, how can they do such things so openly, no ethics no shame

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RAVEENDRA NATH

Dec 22, 2016 04:17pm

So, the fund is not just for protecting the Bird, but to increase its population so that Arab Royalty can hunt more.

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Ernst hamingway

Dec 22, 2016 04:19pm

I think its a very good move. Its a small money to entertain wealthy Arabs who are hosting millions of Pakistanis. Saudi especially has helped us a lot also in bad times after nuclear explosions....its a small payment and actually it may be charged back to Arabs....

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Ramesh Nakhwa

Dec 22, 2016 04:41pm

MEA gives permits to Arabs to hunt and the Houbara Bustards and Ministry of Finance gives grants to protect it. Sad right hand does not know what the left does.

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ishrat salim

Dec 22, 2016 04:42pm

Why the govt is not reporting that the govt also allowed Qatri rulers to hunt this endangered bird...

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khanm

Dec 22, 2016 04:44pm

BUT WHY... WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN SAVING THOSE BIRDS, WE ALLOW THE ROYALTIES TO HUNT THEM DOWN......

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Rizwan

Dec 22, 2016 04:43pm

Is there any fund to increase literate people in Pakistan?

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Joker

Dec 22, 2016 04:45pm

What a joke! Is there anything else endangering houbara bustards more than your Arab guests? One wonders what PM thinks about the meaning of protection by facilitating the hunting of these endangered birds by the Arab guests while releasing protection funds from tax payers' money.

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madhu

Dec 22, 2016 05:00pm

@Ernst hamingway Well said sir.

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Miqbal rangoonwala

Dec 22, 2016 05:20pm

Quatro are killing birds

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Sunny rai

Dec 22, 2016 05:34pm

Forget other things! Just give me answer how many of these will ne spent on increasing population of this bird and how many will go in pockets of corrupt officials?

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M. Siddique

Dec 22, 2016 05:53pm

How much this allocated money will used to issue licenses to Arabs to hunt the bird and for the protection of the hunters?

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Merchant

Dec 22, 2016 06:11pm

This is a big joke! Instead of stopping giving permits to wealthy Qatris, Emiratis etc, out elceted government is financing conservation of Houbara with poor taxpayers money!!

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A Khan

Dec 22, 2016 06:23pm

Its simply a joke. Spending money to protect poor HB birds for the Arab Shaiks.

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Dec 22, 2016 06:43pm

Political corruption......One can say that this money was supposed to be taken from sharif family as they were one allowing only personnel Arab friends to hunt them and again this money would serve only their purpose not of common man...

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Philosopher(from japan)

Dec 22, 2016 07:11pm

Isn't it tax payers money ?? How on earth you can justify this allocation whereas the entire economy is on gross debt???whereas 66% of taxpayers money eats up in debt servicing.

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Dec 22, 2016 07:57pm

Is this a joke? On one hand this government is allowing people to hunt these birds. On the other hand it is releasing money to protect them. Guess where this money will go? and the best part is institutions with power are watching this with absolute silence. Weldone. How about another operation in Urban Sindh.

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Aamir

Dec 22, 2016 09:18pm

So you are protecting them from locals? How does this make sense?

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masyed

Dec 22, 2016 11:15pm

And then our federal government will bend completely over to give killing licenses to the Arabs , Great country Zindabad !

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Faizan Khalid

Dec 23, 2016 12:27am

In return My defense technology is banned for Qatari Royal Family until and unless they pay Large Amount from their Pockets

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