QUETTA: The Governor of Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia, Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, arrived in Dalbandin, the headquarters of Chagai district, in his special plane on Monday for hunting the houbara bustard.

Saudi Ambassador Ab­dullah Marzouk Al Za­hr­ani, Balochistan Chief Minister’s Adviser on Forests and Wildlife Obaidullah Babit, Adviser on Excise and Taxation Amanullah Notezai, Adviser on Indus­tries Muhammad Khan Lehri, Home Secretary Dr Akbar Harifal and Chagai Deputy Commissioner Shahik Baloch received him at the airport.

Later, the governor of Tabuk left for the area allotted to him for hunting along with his staff and other officials. Heavy contingents of the Frontier Corps, police and Levies were deployed to guard the camp of the Saudi royal dignitary and no one was allowed to move towards the area allotted to him for hunting.

His personal staff and security personnel had arrived in Quetta on Sunday and later left for the area selected for him in Chagai district.

Chagai, Washuk, Kharan and other areas of the Rakhshani valley in south and west Balochistan are famous for the presence of the houbara bustard, including local and Siberian birds of the species.

According to sources, the governor, during his stay in the area, will also visit development schemes launched with Saudi funds.

Mr Babit told reporters in Dalbandin that he had received the visiting Saudi prince on behalf of Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri.

He said he had requested the Saudi ambassador to launch development projects in the area. The ambassador said the Balochisan government should officially write to his embassy in this regard. “I will write a letter to the Saudi ambassador from my ministry and request him to launch more development schemes in Dalbandin,” the adviser said.

The foreign affairs ministry has granted licences to several Arab dignitaries, including members of the royal families of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, for hunting the houbara bustard in various areas of Balochistan and Punjab.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2017