Pakistan refuses self-examination over Peshawar school Massacre after Failure of Army Operations.

Scores of children were killed in a recent Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar. But instead of re-evaluating its own flawed security policies, Pakistan's establishment is pointing fingers at neighboring Afghanistan.

Bereaving Mothers of Pashtun Kids Massacred . 

Those who were expecting a drastic shift in Pakistan's security policies after the heinous attack by the Taliban on a school in Peshawar will have to wait some time. The assault, in which 141 people were killed, provided a great opportunity for the Pakistani authorities to do some introspection and re-evaluate the country's decades-old security policies. Islamabad, however, chose to put the blame on "external elements," yet again.

The chief of Pakistan's ubiquitous army, Raheel Sharif, flew to Afghanistan on Wednesday, December 17, to meet the top military and civilian leadership in Kabul and discuss the Tuesday massacre. The Pakistani media claimed that Sharif demanded the Afghan government to extradite the head of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mullah Fazlullah, who is wanted in terrorism cases in Pakistan.

Fazlullah took over the TTP in November 2013

Pakistan's Dawn newspaper has cited the country's security sources as claiming that a Taliban commander, Umar Naray, had masterminded the Peshawar attack from Afghanistan.

"His (Naray) communications have been intercepted as well which helped security agencies in tracing his location and whereabouts which was urgently shared not only with the Afghan army but also with NATO forces," a security source told Dawn.

Over 130 children were killed in an army-run school in the capital city of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on December 16. The Pakistani Taliban claimed the responsibility for the school siege and attack and said the assault was a "response to military's 'Zarb-e-Azb' offensive, the killing of Taliban fighters and the harassment of their families."

The attack led to widespread condemnation of the Taliban both locally and internationally. A large number of Pakistanis demanded the government take decisive action against all Islamist groups in the country once and for all.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who declared a mourning period after the kilkings, also pledged to step up efforts against the insurgents. "The fight will continue. No one should have any doubt about it," Sharif warned. "We will take account of each and every drop of our children's blood."

Lost War ???? Failed  Pakistan Army Operation to Curb Taliban ??? 

The Pakistani military controls the security and defense matters

On Wednesday, Sharif convened a conference of the country's main political parties to devise a strategy against the militants. But before the civilian government reached a political consensus on how to deal with home-grown Islamists, a number of conservative political commentators, religious parties, and members of the security establishment had begun talking about the alleged role of New Delhi and Kabul in the attack.

Back to square one?

"Pakistan needs a long-term policy to eradicate terrorism. It might be true that Fazlullah was behind the Peshawar attack, but Islamabad needs to look internally as well," former DW Urdu journalist and Islamabad based analyst, Agha Sattar, told DW.

Sattar added that earlier this month when US officials in Afghanistan handed over the Taliban commander Latif Mehsud to the Pakistani authorities, many hoped that Washington, Kabul and Islamabad were finally on the same page over the Taliban issue. "But the recent surge in attacks in the Afghan capital, and the insistence of the Afghan government that the attackers were backed by the Pakistani spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), showed that the conflict was far from over," Sattar said.

The Hague-based Pakistani human rights activist, Kamal Ayoub, says that India and Afghanistan too react to terror attacks by blaming Pakistan. "That's how all these countries try to conceal their own shortcomings and responsibilities," he told DW.

Zeenia Shaukat, an activist working for a labor rights institution in Karachi, does not find the Pakistani reaction surprising. "The 'Indian agents' thinking is deeply entrenched not only in the mindset of our policy-makers, but also among the general public. Unfortunately, the media too promotes the 'foreign forces-did-it' narrative," she told DW.

Targeting Pashtuns only ??? 

The gunmen stormed the Army Public School on Tuesday morning and started firing at random

Geo politics

The fact remains that most Pakistani politicians and military officials normally do not condemn the Taliban unequivocally. A number of them do not use the term "the Taliban" or "TTP" while commenting on terror attacks.

On Wednesday, Altaf Hussain, one of Pakistan's anti-Taliban politician who is currently in self-exile in London, lashed out at PM Sharif for "avoiding to hold the TTP directly responsible" for the Peshawar massacre.

Some experts say that Islamabad wants to use the Taliban in Afghanistan after the NATO drawdown in the coming days, while others assert that the Pakistani military hopes to regain the influence in Kabul it once enjoyed before the US and its allies toppled the pro-Pakistan Taliban government in 2001.

However, Pakistani analyst Abdul Agha is of the view that his country's powerful army is responsible for the continuing strength of the TTP. "They are nurturing and supporting a number of militant groups. The result is that they are still very active," he told DW.

Commenting on the Zarb-e-Azb army operation in Waziristan, Agha said that "the government is going after the [militant groups] that have turned against the state, or who don't agree with its long-term plans vis-à-vis Afghanistan. Pakistan wants to eliminate some and will preserve some for the future."

Political distraction

Zarb-E-Azab a Failure ??? 

The much-touted success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb is very much in question

Maqsood Ahmad Jan, an analysts based in Charsadda near Peshawar, criticized the government of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, headed by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's conservative Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, for its pro-Islamist stance. "Khan has a soft spot for the Taliban. His party's provincial government has failed to protect the common people from the extremists. The school siege is proof," Jan commented.

Since August, the PTI has been holding country-wide demonstrations to topple PM Sharif's central government, which Khan and his party officials claim came into power in May 2013 through rigged parliamentary elections. Experts say that since the embattled premier is busy fighting a political war in the capital Islamabad, he is not in a position to focus on the terrorism issues.

"It is no secret that the PTI is a sympathizer of the Taliban insurgency as the party has repeatedly denounced military action against the extremists on the pretext of opposing American interference. Since Khan started demonstrations against Sharif's government, his party has remained largely silent on Zarb-e-Azb," Islamabad-based political commentator, Khayyam Mushir, told DW, adding that the ongoing anti-government protests were a major distraction for the PM Sharif who is further conflicted on what position to take on the terror issue.

SOURCE: http://www.dw.de/pakistan-refuses-self-examination-over-peshawar-attack/a-18137003

Massive Corruption Under PTI Government in Chitral Pakhtunkhwa No Progress in Development Projects.

Protests against corruption in different developmental projects continued in parts of Chitral. A sizeable protest rally led by Jounali Qazi Abdul Rauf marched from Chewo Bridge and ended up in Polo Ground. There it turned into a large public assemblage and representatives of civil society and political parties addressed the people.

Speakers said that Abdul Wali Khan Bypass was supposed to complete in 2011 and still remains incomplete. The contractor of the bypass, it turns out, is a government employee working as laboratory attendant in Government Degree College, upper Dir. As a contractor he is enjoying government support for dilly-dallying the work on the road and allegedly shares commissions with officials.
The speakers also pointed out that the bridge on Molin Goul stream near Chitral Scouts Headquarter, currently under construction, shows that it has been poorly built with substandard material. It poses threat and clearly indicates that it is not going to sustain any pressure of water or floods in summer.

They said that 340 million rupees were spent on Golian Water supply scheme.But here too, defective and cheap pipes were used in the project. People are still deprived of water. They alleged that the contractor paid huge commissions in this project to local PMA and Public Health Engineering high-ups. They demanded of the National Accountability Bureau to recover the 340 million rupees from the Public Health department corrupt officers and from the contractor.
They said that Goulian Hydel Power station would be completed next year and demanded 30 MW electricity from this project for Chitral as Chitral is passing through energy crises. They also demanded up-gradation of Saingor Power House.

A resolution was passed on the occasion where it demanded from Chairman and Director General NAB to investigate and recover the 340 million rupees of Goulain Goal project. 30 MW electricity from Goulian Hydel Power House should be allocated for Chitral and the bypass should be completed without any further delay.

source: http://www.dardistantimes.com/chitral/News/1763575980/corruption-developmental-projects-trigger-protests-chitral

Catastrophic Failure of PTI In Education Failure in Pakhtunkhwa when it is Needed Most.

Lacking urgency: Educationists flay govt for failure to enact Article 25-A
By Asad Zia
Published: November 27, 2014

Civil society organisations and the education department prepared a draft bill for free and compulsory education in the province. 

PESHAWAR: Education activists expressed concern over the four-year delay in enacting Article 25-A and urged the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly to approve the draft bill at the earliest.

During a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, activists said after the 18th Amendment, civil society organisations and the education department prepared a draft bill for free and compulsory education in the province. However, both the previous Awami National Party (ANP) regime and the current Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) failed to turn the bill into a law.



They pointed out 2.5 million children across the province were out of school and claimed the current government had not constructed a single school for them.

Addressing the audience, SPARC Regional Manager Jehanzaib Khan said although the government declared an education emergency in K-P, children lacked basic facilities and teachers at schools. “If there are no teachers or facilities, how can the children get an education,” he questioned.

ActionAid representative Aliya Rashid said the other three provinces enacted the law for free and compulsory education, while the draft had been pending before K-P lawmakers for the last four years. She said the previous government had done some work in this regard, but the current regime remained “motionless”. Rashid urged a swift approval of the draft bill for the 2.5 million out-of-school children in K-P.

“The government must enact the bill which will by law force parents to send their children to school,” said Advocate Noor Alam Khan. Financial constraints make parents send their children to madrassahs instead of schools, which are expensive, he added. This will force their hand, said Noor Alam.

Qaumi Watan Party MPA Miraj Humayun Khan stressed the government had doubled the education budget, but only spent Rs2 billion on education development. She said the province required 1,250 more schools, with five teachers per institute, to meet the needs of out-of-school children. However, the government claimed it lacked the resources to build schools in such large numbers, she noted.

ANP MPA Syed Jafar Shah said a draft bill was made at the end of the previous government, but could not be passed due to the lack of time. According to Shah, his party’s rule saw “record-breaking work” in the field of education.

He said the incumbent government had plenty of resources, but lacked political will due to which education was ignored.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2014.

source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/798385/lacking-urgency-educationists-flay-govt-for-failure-to-enact-article-25-a/

Journalists of Pakhtunkhwa under PTSD and Severe Stress but Wont Seek Help.

Trauma centre to help Pakistani journalists, but stigma attached
By Reuters
Published: November 25, 2014

Psychology students study outside the Competence and Trauma Centre for Journalists inside a university's psychology department in Peshawar November 24, 2014.

PESHAWAR: Death threats, bombings and getting attacked is part of the job for many Pakistani journalists but they say one of the biggest barriers to seeking counselling to help cope is the stigma that they need it – and others in the business talking about it.

Immersion in the extreme violence and daily threats mean many journalists suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, health professionals said this week during the opening of the country’s first trauma centre for journalists.

The centre is supposed to help address Pakistan’s massive shortfall of trained counsellors and help journalists deal with the psychological fallout of reporting bombings, militancy and drone strikes.

Many of the problems that plague journalists also trouble frontline security forces, bomb technicians and civilians.

Few receive help – Pakistan has only 450 practising clinical psychologists for 180 million citizens, industry professionals said.

But many journalists say the fear of exposure by cutthroat colleagues keeps those in the industry from seeking help.

The competition for jobs is intense, and the country’s largest journalist union is split into feuding factions.

“The major challenge is your colleagues … They speak against you,” said Jamshed Baghwan, a television journalist for Express News.

His family home has been attacked three times but he doesn’t need counselling, he said.

That’s why the new German-funded Competence and Trauma Centre for Journalists, nestled amid the rose gardens and brick university buildings in Peshawar, says it keeps patient confidentiality absolute.

Dr Erum Irshad, head of the university’s psychology department, said that 14 of 20 journalists who participated in a pilot study suffered from severe stress. No larger studies exist.

Seven journalists had already sought help, she said.

Journalists at the opening told Reuters stories of being kidnapped by the Taliban, wading through hundreds of body parts at mass bombings, or witnessing decapitations.

But all said they would be reluctant to seek help.

Journalists who sought help privately say many counsellors are not equipped to deal with their daily exposure to violence.

One journalist told Reuters he saw three private psychologists and a psychiatrist after suffering severe panic attacks caused by death threats and violence he had witnessed.

Their advice: pray more.

“This is a very neglected field,” said Professor Syed Haroon Ahmed, head of the Pakistan Association for Mental Health.

“People are not dying, so it is not a priority.”

SOURCE: http://tribune.com.pk/story/796915/trauma-centre-to-help-pakistani-journalists-but-stigma-attached/

Bhatta to Taliban a New trend under PTI,s Militant Wing Taliban

By Manzoor Ali

Published: November 24, 2014

PESHAWAR: When the province’s law and order was discussed in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday, the government acknowledged that during its rule, incidents of grenade attacks and extortion have increased, but it also claimed that other crimes had decreased.

In response to an adjournment motion presented by Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) leader Sikandar Sherpao, Minister for Public Health Engineering Shah Farman told the house the number of suicide attacks, bomb blasts and vehicle-borne attacks has decreased during the current year as compared to the past two years.

According to the minister, the fact that parties which were under attack when they were in the government are now holding open public gatherings is an indicator of improving law and order under the PTI-led government.



Presenting some statistics in the house to support his claim, Farman said suicide attacks have reduced to 10 in 2014 from 21 and 18 in 2013 and 2012, respectively. Similarly, 218 bomb attacks have been reported in K-P so far when there were 284 and 271 such attacks in 2013 and 2012, respectively.

“Vehicle-borne attacks have decreased to three during the current year as compared to six in each of the past two years,” claimed Farman. “However, the deteriorating law and order issue is not specific to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; the entire country is facing the repercussions of the military operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas,” said the minister.

Earlier, when raising the motion, QWP’s Sikandar Sherpao informed the house a total of 109,449 crimes were reported this year between January 1 and October 15. According to Sherpao, 520 terror attacks, 291 extortion cases and 831 car theft cases were also reported during this period.

“Law and order is the fundamental right of citizens and is the provincial government’s responsibility,” stated Sherpao. Awami National Party’s Mian Jaffer Shah added the situation was deteriorating every day and the government should not hide the facts and go into a defensive mode.

On a point of order, opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman also raised the issue of the deteriorating law and order. According to Rehman, incidents of extortion have risen by 900%, terrorism by 30%, kidnapping by 44% and crimes against women by 40%.

“Educated and well-off people of K-P are migrating to other provinces,” stated Rehman.

The opposition leader also touched upon the subject of increasing cases of polio, saying the situation can lead to international restrictions on Pakistan.

Rehman also condemned police violence against IPDs in Bannu a couple of weeks ago.

LG polls

Moreover, during Monday’s session, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Inayatullah Khan informed the house the government was planning to hold local government (LG) elections by the end of April next year.

In response to a question, Khan said the Election Commission of Pakistan expressed its inability to conduct LG polls under biometric system before December 2015. Therefore, the provincial government has decided to go to the polls without the technology.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2014.

source; http://tribune.com.pk/story/796529/up-for-discussion-govt-admits-increasing-extortion-incidents/

Common heritage: South Korean monks step through Peshawar’s window to Gandhara

PESHAWAR: 

An eight-member delegation of Buddhist monks from South Korea visited Peshawar Museum on Wednesday. Earlier, the monks performed religious rituals for the peace and stability of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) at the Gandharan Jaulian monastery in Haripur.

“Though our culture and religion are different, our grand ancestors were the same. It’s a link that keeps us close to each other,” said Haan Sang Beom, one of the monks, to The Express Tribune at Peshawar Museum. The South Korean delegation is currently in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) for a visit.

They said they had received a very warm welcome by the people of the province, contrary to the impression the world has of the region. “People think Pukhtuns hate statues and Buddhism but we found nothing of the sort here,” said Beom.

However, the monks were dismayed to see parts of ancient Gandhara sites in ruins; a condition they attributed to a lack of financial resources for preservation.

“Nonetheless, it was heart-warming when I first laid eyes on the stupas and statues, they still seem honoured by the people,” said Lee Sung Hee. She shared the monks offered special prayers at the ancient sites, also praying for stability and religious harmony in Pakistan. They usually offer such supplications on the first and 15th of the month or around the time of the full moon.

According to Bakht Mohammad, the curator of Peshawar Museum, there are 50,000 Gandharan artefacts from 1CE to 7CE. “When we refer to the Gandhara era, we mean the Buddhist era,” said Mohammad. He briefed the monks about the museum and the historical importance of the Peshawar valley.

Mohammad added the Directorate of Archaeology will arrange for the monks to see all Buddhist sites of the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2014.

source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/779548/common-heritage-south-korean-monks-step-through-peshawars-window-to-gandhara/

Imran Khan PTI Avoids a Resolution in Praising First Pashtun Noble Prize Winner of Pakhutnkhwa Malalaa Yousafzai.

PESHAWAR: A resolution for Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has got stuck in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly secretariat as Jamaat-i-Islami, a partner of the Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf-led ruling coalition in the province, has made its inclusion in the house’s agenda conditional on the tabling of a similar resolution for scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui imprisoned in the US over links to terrorists.

Law and parliamentary affairs minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi told Dawn that PTI would support its coalition partner on the matter.

He expressed ignorance about keeping the resolution pending in the assembly secretariat.

The minister said some lawmakers had reservations about the resolution and was not sure if the Awami National Party would gather support of the opposition parties in favour of its pro-Malala move.

Notably PTI chairman Imran Khan had congratulated Malala on winning Nobel Peace Prize. However, the PTI-led provincial government did not issue any statement to praise the teenage activist for girls’ education.

ANP MPA Syed Jafar Shah had submitted the resolution to the assembly secretariat on October 20, which has so far not been brought on the house’s agenda.

Jafar Shah told reporters that he had requested Speaker Asad Qaisar to put the resolution on the agenda but the latter showed reluctance.

“It may create problems for us,” Jafar Shah quoted Speaker Asad Qaisar as saying during a meeting.
JI opposed to move until pro-Aafia resolution made part of house agenda

He said the Senate, National Assembly and Punjab and Sindh assemblies had passed resolutions to congratulate Malala Yousafzai on receiving Nobel Peace Prize.

The MPA said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had announced to establish a university in the name of Malala. He said the young activist belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and therefore, the provincial assembly should take the lead.

“I don’t know why the government is so scared about the resolution,” he said, adding that he had suggested in his resolution that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should set up university in the name of the Nobel laureate.

When the house began proceedings on Tuesday, Pakistan People’s Party MPA Nighat Orakzai through a point of order drew Speaker Asad Qaisar’s attention towards the resolution.

She said not only Malala Yousafzai was a national hero but she was an international icon as well.

Orakzai said Malala’s efforts for the promotion of education had been recognised around the world and that she was given the Nobel Peace Prize and other international awards in recognition of her courage and contributions for the promotion of education.

“This is very unfortunate that a resolution submitted by a member of the opposition has been intentionally blocked,” she said, asking the chair to bring the resolution for Malala on the house’s agenda.

The MPA said the treasury and opposition should unanimously pass resolution.

Lawmaker of Jamaat-i-Islami Mohammad Ali Khan said Dr Aafia Siddiqui was the daughter of the nation and that he had great contributions for Islam. He said the house should pass a joint resolution for Dr Aafia and Malala.

Speaker Asad Qaisar remained silent on the point of order raised by Nighat Orakzai and moved to the agenda.

Insiders said Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, which had been opposing Nobel Peace Prize for Malala, was also not in favour of the resolution.

A JUI-F MPA told Dawn in the assembly’s lobby that his party might not support the resolution.

“I have informed my friends (ANP lawmakers) that he will not support the resolution,” he said, adding everybody knew the motive behind the award of Nobel Peace Prize to Malala.

In January this year, the provincial government had stopped a civil society organisation from organising a ceremony at the University of Peshawar to launch the book of the Nobel laureate, I am Malala.

Similarly, the banned militant outfit, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, had warned leading booksellers against selling the book.

Also, the house admitted an adjournment motion about the prevailing law and order situation in the province for detailed discussion.

JUI-F member Mufti Syed Janan, who moved the motion, portrayed the worst scenario in the province.

He said 44 policemen and other officials were killed in Peshawar in 2013 and the number had reached 138 in the current year.

The MPA said the nighttime flight operations at the Bacha Khan International Airport had been suspended due to the recent firing incident. He said the government had failed to provide protection to citizens and that the government’s writ had been confined to the Civil Secretariat and Police Lines.

Later, the Delimitation of Local Councils Ordinance, 2014 and Local Government (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2014 were tabled in the house.

The assembly passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Servants Retirement Benefits and Death Compensation Bill, 2014 after incorporating several amendments of the opposition in it.

Published in Dawn, October 29th , 2014
source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1141110/good-words-for-malala-stuck-in-kp-assembly-secretariat

Speaker Pakhtunkhwa Assembly PTI Asad Qasier Brother, Adnan Khan Beats up Deputy Commissioner in His Office for Taking Action Against Profiteers and Law Breakers .

Swabi Pakhutnkhwa : Officials from government departments and representatives of political parties went on strike and participated in a rally at Jirga Hall in Swabi on Thursday following Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser’s brother’s alleged hooliganism.

Adnan Khan is said to have manhandled Swabi Additional Assistant Commissioner Khaliq Dad Khan after a crackdown against profiteering.

According to Khaliq Dad, Adnan and his two bodyguards stormed his office on Wednesday. “They used foul language and beat me up,” Khaliq told the media. He said the Swabi Deputy Commissioner had been informed and a formal FIR had been lodged against the assembly speaker’s brother.

Khan claimed Adnan was unhappy over cases registered against some shopkeepers and butchers for overcharging and food adulteration. Adnan was told the cases were registered against the offenders and they should pursue legal recourse but he insisted on the cancellation of FIRs and retraction of cases.

Assistant Commissioner Altamash Janjua, Government Employees Coordination Council President Abdul Latif, Clerks Association representative Zakirullah Omarkhel, former nazim Ihsanul Haq Bamkhelvi and others addressed Thursday’s rally. They threatened a complete strike and further action starting Friday if Adnan is not taken to task for the misconduct. They warned relatives and aides of influential people to stay clear of the affairs of government functionaries.

Representatives of Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl also addressed the protest and accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of promoting hooliganism in the province.

Bail before arrest

Adnan obtained bail before arrest from Swabi additional sessions judge on Thursday.

He claimed he had approached the officer after receiving complaints from poor shopkeepers. Before the court, Adnan accused the officer of using foul language against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2014.

source : http://tribune.com.pk/story/783704/hooliganism-officials-take-to-the-streets-against-k-p-assembly-speakers-brother/

PTI Government Fails to Stop Wildlife Smuggling.

K-P fails to take steps to
control illegal trade

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) wildlifedepartment has failed to take
steps to control the illegal trade
of birds and other animals across
the province.
Leopard geckos, black scorpions,
turtles, tuatara and myna birds are
just a few of the animals that are
being poached from K-P, they are
then being traded illegally not only
in the province but throughout the
country and some are even being
smuggled out of it.
Like in all other provinces, the
black scorpion and the gecko have
been pushed to extinction by the
greed of poachers but it is the
province’s birds that are suffering
the most at their hands.
The trade is at its peak but arrests
and other measures by wildlife
officials is limited to vendors who
sells myna, parrots and other
colourful birds without obtaining
licences to do so. “We are poor
people and this is the only way we
can make a living,” justified
Bahadur Khan, who was arrested
by wildlife officials for hunting
down dozens of Myna birds.
Sardar Muhammad Khan, who also
illegally hunts and trades valuable
birds, told The Express Tribune that
almost every bird they catch has a
market. The hunting of such birds
is banned by the K-P government
but due to inaction and lack of
deterrents, the hunting continues,
from Chitral to Peshawar.
Choos Kata is one of the rare birds
being hunted in Chitral’s Shali and
Ayoun areas and can fetch
between Rs40,000 and Rs50,000.
The terinaak, is sold for Rs10,000,
while the Choora goes for up to
Rs20,000. However, the most
expensive of them all is the Bari
Surkh, with a single one being sold
for between Rs5 million and Rs6
million. The Bari Surkh is usually
smuggled to Arab countries as few
local buyers can afford it.
However, catching these birds is
not easy, especially as they become
increasingly rare. “We begin the
hunting season at the start of
October and it goes till the end of
December but we are only able to
hunt down 50 to 55 birds,” said a
poacher. “Some of these birds die
while they are being transported in
sacks to other cities so that’s even
fewer birds that we are able to
sell.”
Not all animals are exported
though. The sekar and the
peregrine falcon are being
smuggled into the province from
all over the world, despite their
trade being banned in the entire
country, according to divisional
forest officer Niaz Muhammad.
While proper data on wildlife is
lacking, Muhammad claimed that
there are 455 different species of
birds in the province, out of which
around a dozen are considered
rare.

Published in The Express Tribune,
October 10 th, 2014.

Source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/773013/k-p-fails-to-take-steps-to-control-illegal-trade/