IHC extends stay order against export of falcons

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday extended its stay order for further four weeks against the export of rare falcon species to Arab countries.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case filed by the former chairman, Wildlife Management Board. The deputy attorney general adopted the stance that the UAE government has formally made a written request in this regard.

Pakistan has not done trading or any commercial activity pertaining to falcons, he said, adding that Pakistan had gifted falcons to the UAE government for home and personal use on the basis of mutual relationship. The foreign policy, national interests and diplomatic ties between the two countries are important, he said. The officials of the Ministry of Climate Change stated that falcons' export was banned here since 2005. The chief justice remarked that the Foreign Office is going to violate this ban, adding that why not the climate ministry is stopping this practice as it is the ministry's responsibility to protect the wildlife. Why not this matter should be sent to the federal cabinet, the court said.

The chief justice said if they want to do the same practice, the government should bring changes in laws or adopt a legal procedure for exemption. No one could violate the law, he said.

The court directed the federal government to satisfy the bench that there is no violation of the law. The court summoned a senior official of the Climate Change Ministry on the next hearing and adjourned the hearing for four weeks.