PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday issued a notice to the federal government and sought its response to a writ petition challenging its move to take over the authority to issue licences for non-exportable hunting.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Babar Sattar heard the petition filed by Muhammad Zafar.Petitioner’s counsel Ali Gohar Durrani advocate told the court that his client belonged to the northern areas where 80 percent of the revenue generated from hunting was received by local communities. He said the federal government now intended to bring the issuance of such licences under its control, raising concerns that the share of revenue received by local communities could be affected.
He argued that local communities played an important role in protecting rare wildlife, and their conservation efforts had contributed to an increase in the populations of markhor and other rare species.
“If the federal government took over the licensing authority, local communities could lose their incentive to protect the animals while illegal hunters might take advantage of the situation,” he pleaded.
The counsel said the federal government currently had authority over licences for exportable hunting, while the provincial government had jurisdiction over licences for non-exportable hunting. He said that the federal government was now attempting to encroach upon the province’s powers as well.Additional Attorney General Sanaullah told the court that the Federal Law Ministry would submit its response in the matter.
