Rules and Regulations | Forest, Wildlife in Pakistan

 

               Wildlife rules and

          Regulations in Pakistan

 

Whereas it is expedient to amend and consolidate the law relating to wildlife in the  Northern Areas, it is hereby enacted as follows:  

The Laws of wildlife in Pakistan showing rules and regulation of wildlife in Pakistan:

 1. This Act may be called the Northern Areas Wildlife Protection Act, 1975.

2. Definitions:  In this Ordinance, the context requires the following expressions shall have the meaning: 

(a): “Animal” means any vertebrate creature other than human beings,

(b): “Board” means a Wildlife Conservation Board constituted under this Act;

 (c) “Capture” means the taking alive of any animal and includes the taking of an egg; 

 (d) “Game” or Game animal means any animal specified in the First Schedule to this Act; 

 (e) “hunt” means any act immediately directed to the killing or capturing of an animal, or the taking of nests or eggs;

(f) “National Park” means comparatively large areas of outstanding scenic merit and natural interest with the primary object of protection and preservation of scenery, flora and fauna in the natural state to which access for public recreation, education and research may be allowed.  (g) Trophy” means any dead animal or any horn antler, tooth, tusk, bone, claw, hoof, skin, hair, feather, egg-shell or other durable part of an animal, whether or not included in a manufactured or processed article;

(h) “Wildlife Reserve” means an area declared by the Provincial Government as such for the protection and increase in the population of important species wherein capturing of wild animal shall be unlawful;

 (i) “wild-life sanctuary” means an area closed to hunting, shooting or trapping of wild animals, declared as such by the Provincial Government as undisturbed breeding ground primarily for the protection of wildlife inclusive of all natural resources such as vegetation, soil and water. 

3. Formation of Northern Areas Wildlife Board:

(1) On coming into force of this Act the Provincial government shall constitute a board, here in   after called the North Areas Wildlife Board

(2) The Provincial Government shall make rules specifying the functions of the board. 

 4. Declaration of National Parks, Wildlife Reserves and Wildlife   Sanctuaries:

  The Provincial government may by a notification declare any are to be a National Park, Wildlife Reserve or Wildlife Sanctuary and may alter the boundaries of such areas from time to time as deemed necessary. 

 5. Restriction of entry into a National Park:

 (1) The Chief Wildlife Warden shall make provisions for members of the public to have access to such part of a National Park where their presence will not conflict with its primary purpose of preserving fauna and flora in their natural state.

 (2) Of this Section no person shall enter a National Park without obtaining a ticket at the entry gate in case such an arrangement exists, or the written permission.

6. Acts restricted in a National Park. —  No person shall: 

 (i) Reside in a National Park.                    

 (ii) Hunt, kill or capture, or be found in circumstance showing that it is his intention to hunt, kill or capture any animal in a National Park;

 (iii) Carry any fire arm or other hunting weapon in a National Park; 

7. Restriction on hunting, killing or capturing animals in Wildlife Reserve or Wildlife  Sanctuary:

  No person shall hunt, kill or capture, or be found in circumstances showing that it is his intention to hunt, kill or capture any animal in Wildlife Reserve or Wildlife Sanctuary. 

 8. Restriction on killing or capturing of Protected or Game Animals:

  (1) The animals specified in the Third Schedule to this Act shall be known as Protected animals and shall not be hunted, killed or captured, save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act.

 (2) The animal specified in column 1 of parts I and II of this First Schedule to this Act shall be known as Game animals and shall not be hunted, killed or captured, save under in accordance with the terms of a Game Shooting Licence or Game Capture licence issued under this Act

9. Obligation to maintain a register and return licence:

 Any person who has been granted a Game Shooting Licence shall: 

(i)                 Carry it on his person when hunting;

(ii)                Keep a register in a prescribed form;

      (iii)        Enter particulars of any animal killed or wounded in the register within 24 hours of   its being  killed or wounded; 

 

10. Restriction and transfer of Game Capture Licences. .—  No person shall: 

 (i) Transfer a Game Capture Licence to any other person;

 (ii) Make use of a Game Capture Licence which has been issued to another person. 

 11. Animals found dead or filled or caught unlawfully:

 Any Protected animal or Game Animal, or the meat and trophies of any Protected or Game animal that is found dead or dying, or which has been killed or caught other than in accordance with the provisions of a licence or permit issued under the Act, or any rule made there under, shall be the property of the provincial Government. 

12. Restricted methods of hunting:

  (i) Hunt any game animal by means of a hawk or falcon;

  (ii) Employ a call bird or live decoy in the hunting of any Game Bird; 

(iii) Employ a dog in the hunting of any Game Animal except for flushing and retrieving Game Birds and hares; 

13. Controlled hunting Area:

  (1) The provincial government may be notification declare any area to be a Controlled Hunting Area or declare that any Controlled Hunting Area shall cease to be a Controlled Hunting Area.  (2) No person shall hunt, kill or capture any Game animal in a Controlled Hunting Area unless he is in possession of a permit so to do, herein after called a Controlled Hunting Area Permit. 

14. Certificate of Lawful Possession:

  (1) The Chief Wildlife Warden or the officer authorized by him may issue a Certificate of Lawful Possession to any person who is in lawful possession of any animal, trophy or meat.

 (2) No person shall be in possession of any animal, trophy or meat or a kind specified in the Second Schedule to this Act unless he be in possession of a Certificate of Lawful Possession in respect thereof. 

Provided that any person importing an animal, trophy or meat in accordance with the provisions of this Act or acquiring an animal, trophy or meat in accordance with the terms of the licence or permit issued under this Act or any rule made thereunder shall be allowed 30 days from the date of importing or acquiring the animal, trophy or meat in which to apply for a Certificate of Lawful Possession.

 

15. Restrictions of transfer of animals, trophies or meat. :

  (1) No person shall transfer by gift, sale or otherwise to any other person any animal, trophy or meat of a kind specified in the Second Schedule to this Act unless he be in possession of a Certificate of Lawful Possession in respect thereof, and such certificate shall be endorsed with details of the transaction and given to the transferee at the time of the transfer.

 (2) No person shall receive by gift, purchase or otherwise any animal, trophy or meat of a kind specified in the Second Schedule of this Act unless he shall receive at the same time as the animal, trophy or meat a valid Certificate of Lawful Possession in respect thereof. 

 16. Restriction on import of animals, trophies or meat:

  (1) No person shall import or attempt to import into the Northern Areas any live wild animal of any endemic or exotic species, or any trophy or meat of a kind specified in the Second Schedule to this Act. 

(2) It shall be the duty of a customs officer to detain any live wild animal or any trophy or meat of a kind specified in the Second Schedule to this Act

 

17. Restriction on export of animal trophies or meat:

  (1) No person shall export or attempt to export any animal, trophy or meat of any kind specified in the Second Schedule to this Act

(2) The Chief Wildlife Warden or any officer authorized by him in this behalf may issue, or refuse without assigning any reason for his refusal, an export permit to the lawful possessor of any animal, trophy or meat of a kind specified in the Second Schedule to this Act.

18. Unlawful possession of animals, trophies or meat:

(1) Any person who is in possession or any animal, trophy or meat that is the property of the Provincial Government, or which has not been obtained in accordance with the provisions of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence.

 (2) When any person is charged with being in possession of any animal, trophy or meat which is the property of the Provincial government of which has been obtained in contravention of this Act, and proof of possession is given, the onus shall lie on the person charged to prove that such animal, trophy or meat was lawfully obtained. 

19. Penalties;

 (1) Any person who is found guilty of an offence against:

 (i) Violation of the provisions of Section 13,14, 16,17, 24 and 26 of this Act shall render the offender punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one year or a fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both such imprisonment and fine, together with the cancellation of any licence.

 (ii) Violation of the provisions of Section 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20,21,22,25, 27, 28, or 29 of this Act shall render the offender punishable with imprisonment which may extend to two years or a fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both, together with the cancellation of any licence.

 (2) Any person found guilty of contravening any provision of this Act or of any rule made thereunder, for the contravention of which no special penalty is provided, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to six months or with a fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both. 

(3) Whoever having been already convicted of any offence against the Act is again convicted thereunder shall be punished with imprisonment or a fine which may extend to double that laid down for the category of the second offence, and any firearm, vehicle or thing of any sort used in the commission of the offence shall be forfeited and he shall be debarred from holding any licence or permit issuable under this Act for a period of three years.