Minister faces criminal charges for hunting markhor

QUETTA: Levies Force officials say they have filed a case against Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti for allegedly hunting a markhor, an endangered wild goat species, while the minister claims no knowledge of a case registered against him.

Sources said that the case had been filed with the Takatu Levies Station in Quetta.

A few weeks ago, a picture of Mr Bugti holding his gun and sitting next to a markhor hunted in the Takatu range of Quetta, made the rounds on social media.

The Balochistan High Court took notice of the picture and directed the wildlife department to either fine Mr Bugti or lodge a case against him under the law.

Markhor is a protected species under the law and the wildlife department collects between $80,000 and $100,000 for every markhor killed.

Mr Bugti denied breaking any law in this regard and said that he had not received a notice so far. “I have not [been] served a notice for hunting the markhor,” he said. “I would respond to all queries in a court of law, if served with a notice.”

Source: Dawn