QUETTA: Customs officials have foiled a bid to smuggle houbara bustards.

Two birds were seized at Quetta airport from a passenger who arrived from Dubai, officials said.

They said the precious houbara bustards were found in separate boxes which were seized and handed over to the wildlife department.

Gwadar customs staff also foiled an attempt to smuggle three houbara bustards to Iran from the Jiwani area of Makran division.

A senior official said the sized houbara bustards were handed over to forest department’s deputy conservator Yar Mohammad Dashti who freed the highly rare bird species in the presence of customs officials.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2020