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KARACHI, Feb 3: At least nine out of the 19 members of the Sindh Wildlife Management Board, including its vice chairman, are hunters and have obtained hunting permits for the season 2002-2003, it is learnt.
According to the sources, major functions of the board members are to take steps and make policies for the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife in the province.
However, when Sindh Wildlife Conservator Muneer Awan was asked about the issuance of shooting permits to board members, he said any person having a licensed gun could obtain a shooting permit and the law did not put any restriction that a board member could not get a shooting permit.
The members who have obtained shooting permits are Abdul Karim Lodhi (vice chairman of the board), Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Jamote, Ghulam Rasool (Aqib) Jatoi, Mohammed Khan Hoti, Dr Naveed Husain Shah, Shamim I. Junejo, Kamran Junejo, Razi-ur-Rahman Khan and Asif A. Brohi.
Those who have obtained shooting permits can hunt partridges, sandgrouses, waterfowl and quails. The permits are valid from November 1 till last Saturday/Sunday of February.
A former conservator of the Sindh Wildlife, Abrar Husain Mirza, is also a veteran hunter and he used to carry out hunting, with hunting permit issued in his name, during his tenure as conservator.
A former Sindh minister of wildlife, Syed Qabool Mohammed Shah, also became known for his safaris in and around Khirthar National Park during his tenure as minister.
The members who have not so far obtained shooting permit are Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar (chairman of the board), Syed Aijaz A. Shah Shirazi (CM’s adviser on wildlife), Aloysius Lee, Niaz M. Wassan, Asif Soomro, Sindh Wildlife Secretary Shams-ul-Haq Memon, Brig Mukhtar (retd) (WWF chief); Mohammed Rafiq (IUCN Country Representative) and the Inspector-General of Forests.
TROPHY HUNTING: One of the board members, Mohammed Khan Hoti, who has obtained a game-bird shooting permit had also obtained Sindh Ibex trophy hunting permit, which he was given without balloting. He carried out hunting a few weeks ago.
Seven out of the 12 hunters who had obtained the Sindh Ibex Trophy Hunting permits have carried out hunting in the game reserves around Khirthar National Park. Only two of them have submitted report on their hunting to the Sindh Wildlife Department. One of the permit holders is scheduled to carry out hunting probably in the next couple of days.
