KARACHI, Dec 12: The Sindh Wildlife Management Board has accepted the offers of three applicants for trophy hunting and advised the wildlife department to issue permits to them.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the board, presided over by a former Sindh chief secretary and member of the board Abdul Karim Lodhi. Seven other members, out of 19 members, attended the board meeting held on Wednesday.

The wildlife department had informed the board that big game was banned by the federal government and was only permissible in the community managed areas. The federal ministry had been requested to relax the ban and the permission was still awaited.

The SWD had offered five Ibex trophy hunting permits — horn size 35 inches and above — for at least Rs 50,000 each to local hunters. Only three hunters applied with two of them offering Rs 90,000 and the third one offered Rs 50,000.

The board also decided that a post of vice chairman of the board would be created after following the legal procedure. The board would also be allowed to generate its funds. However, the board could not be given the powers of hiring and firing of the wildlife officials that it (board) used to have before the establishment of the Sindh Wildlife Department.

A sub-committee was also formed to formulate the terms of reference and further redefine the role of the board, which before the establishment of wildlife department used to be an autonomous body with full powers.

The board was informed that all the other provinces also have wildlife boards and these performed in the advisory capacity.