KARACHI: Migratory birds have flocked to the wetlands of Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh in greater numbers this year, and officials and observers link the increase to coronavirus lockdown measures that have kept hunters and bird catchers away.
Pakistan, which has recorded over 185,000 cases and 3,696 deaths related to the virus, lifted a month-long country-wide lockdown last month.
A survey conducted this year observed 741,042 migratory birds in Sindh province — a big jump from the 248,105 birds counted in 2019, said Sindh Wildlife Department’s provincial conservator, Javed Ahmed Mahar.
Each year, approximately 40 percent of Sindh’s wetlands are surveyed to gain insight into the migratory patterns and numbers of birds.
Migratory birds, among them pelicans, mallards, cranes and waders, stop in Pakistan on their way to and from Siberia.
Veteran Pakistani wildlife photographer Ahmer Ali Rizvi said coronavirus measures had helped the birds to settle in.
“The birds have stayed longer this year, maybe due to meagre disturbances by humans due to the lockdown everywhere,” he said.
Mahar said that Sindh authorities had not recorded any wildlife-related crimes such as trapping, hunting or illegal trading in the province since the lockdown was imposed.
Hunting has been a problem in the area, threatening several rare species, including the houbara bustard.
“The illegal trade in the domestic markets is no more,” he said.
There are more than 33 wildlife sanctuaries and one national park in Sindh, which is home to more than 300 bird species.
Migratory birds flock to Pakistan as lockdown keeps poachers at bay
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Migratory birds flock to Pakistan as lockdown keeps poachers at bay
- Migratory birds like pelicans, mallards, cranes and waders stop in Pakistan on their way to and from Siberia.
- A survey this year observed 741,042 migratory birds in Sindh — a big jump from 248,105 last year
Pakistan cricket chief says boycott of India match aimed at restoring Bangladesh’s dignity
- Mohsin Naqvi says Pakistan sought to highlight Bangladesh’s grievances in World Cup dispute
- His comments come a day after Pakistan reversed decision to boycott the Feb. 15 India clash
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s decision to briefly threaten a boycott of its Twenty20 World Cup match against India was intended to highlight what it saw as unfair treatment of Bangladesh and to press for the concerns raised by Bangladeshi officials to be addressed, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Tuesday.
Pakistan withdrew its decision a day earlier to skip the Group A clash scheduled for Feb. 15 in Colombo, ending a week-long standoff with the International Cricket Council (ICC) that had drawn intervention from several member boards amid fears of disruption to the tournament.
“Our objective was only to ensure that Bangladesh was treated with dignity and that the injustice done to them was highlighted,” Naqvi told journalists in Peshawar. “You saw that whatever points Bangladesh raised were accepted. That’s it. We had no personal agenda of our own in this.”
Bangladesh had raised security concerns about playing its World Cup matches in India amid political tensions between the two countries and sought the relocation of its fixtures to Sri Lanka, a request that was turned down by the ICC. Subsequently, Bangladesh chose to withdraw from the tournament and were replaced by Scotland instead.
Pakistan cited Bangladesh’s removal from the original schedule as unjust when it initially instructed its team not to face India, a move that would have resulted in a forfeiture.
The decision led to a crisis situation since the India-Pakistan match is the biggest and most lucrative clash in the world of cricket, leading to a frantic weekend of negotiations.
The reversal allows Pakistan to proceed with the marquee India match after Bangladesh’s concerns were accommodated by the ICC, Naqvi said.
Pakistan, who edged past the Netherlands in their opening game, face the United States today in Group A, with India set to travel to Colombo for the Feb. 15 clash.
Pakistan and India, bitter political rivals, have not played bilateral cricket for more than a decade and meet only at global tournaments at neutral venues.
