GILGIT: A wildlife magistrate court in Gilgit has sentenced two men to two years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs300,000 each for illegally hunting an Astore markhor, a rare and endangered species of wild goat native to the region.
The Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan apprehended the accused, Malik Shah and Mansoor Khan, both residents of the Barms area of Gilgit, during a coordinated operation in the Barms Nullah.
Acting on a tip-off, the department, with support from Frontier Constabulary personnel, confiscated nine kilograms of markhor meat, a 7mm rifle, six live cartridges, and a pair of binoculars from the culprits.
The offenders were presented before the Wildlife Magistrate/Divisional Forest Officer for a summary trial. During the hearing, they confessed to their crime. Based on the evidence and their admission of guilt, the court convicted them under provisions of the Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Act and Forest Act.
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The court ruled that failure to pay the imposed fine would result in an additional year of imprisonment for each convict. It also ordered the immediate auction of the confiscated meat to prevent wastage.
Hunting of protected species, including the Astore markhor, is strictly prohibited except under regulated trophy hunting programmes, which are designed to contribute to conservation efforts.
Each year, the Forest, Parks, and Wildlife Department of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) organises regulated trophy hunting programs for endangered animals such as the Himalayan ibex, blue sheep, and Astore markhor. These programs, initiated in the 1980s, operate under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and are restricted to designated areas in GB.
The trophy hunting program is conducted in collaboration with local communities, who receive 80 per cent of the hunting fees, while the government utilises the remaining 20 per cent for forest preservation and biodiversity conservation.
For the 2024-25 trophy hunting season, the department has offered 118 permits, including four for Astore markhor, 14 for blue sheep, and 100 for Himalayan ibex. These permits have been allocated to community-controlled hunting areas (CCHAs) across Gilgit-Baltistan. Of these, permits for shooting four Astore markhor, 12 blue sheep, and 86 Himalayan ibexes have already been sold.