Saudi governor Prince Fahd bin Sultan lands in Chagai for hunting Houbara bustard

ISLAMABAD - The Governor of Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia, Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, landed in Dalbandin, the headquarters of Chagai district, in his special plane on Monday for hunting the migratory Houbara bustard.

The Saudi governor was received by Saudi Ambassador Ab­dullah Marzouk Al Za­hr­ani, Balochistan Chief Minister’s Adviser on Forests and Wildlife Obaidullah Babit, Adviser on Excise and Taxation Amanullah Notezai, Adviser on Indus­tries Muhammad Khan Lehri, Home Secretary Dr Akbar Harifal and Chagai Deputy Commissioner Shahik Baloch.

Later, the governor of Tabuk headed to the dedicated area allotted to him for hunting houbara bustard along with his staff and other officials. Heavy contingents of the Frontier Corps, police and law enforcement officials ensured safety and did not permit anyone to enter the dedicated area.

The personal staff and security personnel of Saudi dignitary arrived in Quetta on Sunday and later left for the area selected for him in Chagai district.

According to sources, the governor, during his stay in the area, will also visit development schemes launched with Saudi funds.

Chief Minister’s Adviser on Forests and Wildlife Mr Babit told newsmen in Dalbandin that he had received the visiting Saudi prince on behalf of Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri.

He said he had requested the Saudi ambassador to launch development projects in the area. The ambassador said the Balochistan government should officially write to his embassy in this regard.

“I will write a letter to the Saudi ambassador from my ministry and request him to launch more development schemes in Dalbandin,” the adviser said.

The foreign affairs ministry has issued special permits to several Arab dignitaries, including members of the royal families of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, for hunting the houbara bustard in various areas of Balochistan and Punjab.

The federal government, a few weeks back also released Rs. 250 million for a ‘Houbara Bustard and Migratory Birds Endowment Fund’ upon the directions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to increase the population of migratory birds in the country.

Residents of colder Central Asian regions, houbara bustards migrate every year to spend winters in a relatively warmer environment like Pakistan.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has imposed a ban on hunting of houbara bustard in the province.

I am going to speak to the KP CM not to allow anyone to hunt Houbara Bustards in KP as it is a protected bird and hunting them is illegal.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 11, 2016