CHITRAL, Oct 20: Mehtar of formerly princely Chitral state Fatehul Mulk Ali Nasir has banned the hunting of migratory birds, including Siberian ducks, on the Balach riverbed owned by him.

In a message issued by the royal fort on Saturday, Mr Nasir asked people not to turn to the riverbed in the hunting season beginning in January.

He said neither religion nor morality allowed the massacre of birds, including ducks.

The mehtar said the ruthless hunting by automatic weapons had led to the extinction of ducks in the region.

He said under such circumstances, the hunting of birds couldn’t be allowed on the riverbed owned by the royal fort, where hunters had developed artificial lakes to lure waterfowls.

“Not a single gunshot will be allowed in the vicinity during the coming season. Violators of the ban will be dealt with strictly,” he said in the message.

Locals hunt Siberian waterfowls when they stop on the Balach riverbed during their migration to the country’s plains.

They’ve developed artificial lakes for hunting with the permission of the mehtar. However, the hunting has now been banned to check the ‘ruthless massacre’ of migratory animals.

The people of Chitral appreciated the ban and said it would help protect migratory birds.