Reading Time: 4 minutes A few years ago, Pakistan was considered to be one of the six countries most at risk due to climate change. One of the reasons was that only 5% of its total territory was forest coverage while the world average was 31%. As of 2022, Pakistan’s total protected area comes up to 13.9% which puts it behind the global average needed to complete the UN’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Pakistan is a biodiversity treasure trove but the wildlife population always seems to be at risk due to climate change, deforestation, hunting, human activities, pollution, and urbanization. In the already long list of native endangered species, 50 more were added recently. The ten species that top the list are houbara bustard, Himalayan brown bear, markhor, snow leopard, Indus River dolphin, pallas cat, Marco Polo sheep, Asian white baked vultures, golden mahaseer, and blackbuck.
A few years ago, Pakistan was considered to be one of the six countries most at risk due to climate change. One of the reasons was that only 5% of its total territory was forest coverage while the world average was 31%. As of 2022, Pakistan’s total protected area comes up to 13.9% which puts it behind the global average needed to complete the UN’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Pakistan has more than 400 protected areas which include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, game reserves, wetland reserves, and community reserves. Why are protected areas important for any country? The reason was given by Susan Gardner, Director of UNEP’s Ecosystems division, “Protected areas offer a range of environmental benefits – they safeguard biodiversity by protecting plant and animal habitats; protect against climate change by building resilience to natural disasters and providing carbon storage, and can help maintain food and water security… Their positive impact also extends to economies as protected areas can drive eco-tourism and create green jobs in developing countries.”
Till 2020, the province of Sindh was under a weak law, Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1972, which did not do much to protect the wildlife of the province. Javed Ahmed Mahar, Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) conservator talking about the Sindh Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation, and Management Bill, 2020 said, “All wild animals, from a common crow to a turtle or other exotic species, are protected now… The new law has a universal approach.”
The law not only applies to the wildlife native to the province but also to those that migrate in from out of the country and those that are a result of human activity. The law states that wildlife officers can now register FIRs against offenders of wildlife-related crimes. People entrapping and selling wild animals are to be fined a minimum of Rs. 30,000 and jailed for up to 2 and a half years. The law further states that any intentional or unintentional pain caused to animals is prohibited as well as animal baiting and fighting. Animals cannot be transported in smaller cages or enclosures. A council of 5 members is to e established to help the Sindh Wildlife Department in wildlife protection, promotion, and furthering public awareness. The law goes on to say that SWD can allot any estate land, wasteland, and reserved or protected forest as a protected area. No hunting, trapping, poisoning, cultivation, mining, destruction of natural structures, etc. can be done in such an area.
The Sindh Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation, and Management Bill, 2020 seems to be selective when it comes to falconry. It states that regulated hunting of the houbara bustard bird is allowed. Hunters of houbara bustard usually come from the Gulf states and the government argued that they generate revenue for the government and communities of the province. The hunters would need to apply for a license worth $100,000 to hunt 100 of the birds in 10 days. It seems that the government’s only motivation behind this regulation is to maintain diplomatic relations with the Gulf countries.
In 2021, Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department announced a ban on wild animals’ baiting and hunting with dogs. The notification was issued in response to various reports of the blood sport of animal baiting done in the province for the mere purpose of entertainment.
In 2018, Pakistan’s first National Wildlife Policy was discussed and a draft was prepared but was tabled for a few. In 2021, former Prime Minister Imran Khan accorded in-principal approval for the National Wildlife Policy 2021. In the meeting, he emphasized the need for establishing a Wildlife Information Centre at Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo while putting forward that a zone will be assigned in the Margalla Hills for a leopards’ sanctuary.
In 2022, the Department of Forestry, Environment, and Wildlife announced that three new national parks, five conservancies, and four sites of special scientific interest will be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity (Protection, Preservation, Conservation, and Management) Act, 2015. As the country is a signatory to United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, it is a necessary step to reach the goal of converting 17% of its total area into protected areas by 2023. Latif-ur-Rehman, an official from KP Forest Environment and Wildlife Department commented, “The initiative aims to preserve and rehabilitate threatened or endangered wildlife species in their natural habitats… It will play a highly significant role in the protection and conservation of wildlife.”
To assure that wildlife will be protected without any hurdles, the government should create public awareness and involve the local communities to help in this important mission. Dr. Muhammad Nafees, a teacher of environmental sciences at the Peshawar University suggested, “For example, if we want to breed particular species of birds in a certain area, for instance, we will have to completely ban its hunting there… Protected areas mean that human activities should be curtailed over there to achieve long-term environmental targets and purposes.”
A suggestion given in 2021 by Dr. Raja Omer, the Deputy Inspector General (Forests) in Pakistan, still applies today to help make Pakistan more green and increase the protected areas to preserve and boost wildlife. He said, “It is key for Pakistan to not only increase the protected areas but to ensure that all areas that are protected are more than just paper parks. By this we mean they are fully functioning with community buy-in and staff to operate and protect them.”
The laws, legislations, and policies of wildlife in Pakistan are outdated and often contain loopholes for the rich to benefit from. The only time action is seen is when the public raises their voice for the protection of animals.
During the case of the elephant Kavaan, Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, Athar Minallah said, “Do the animals have legal rights? The answer to this question, without any hesitation, is in the affirmative…. Like humans, animals also have natural rights which ought to be recognized. It is a right of each animal…to live in an environment that meets the latter’s behavioral, social and physiological needs.” If this mindset can be applied while passing laws, Pakistan would be a better country for all wildlife.
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