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Pakistan
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a nation of great strategic importance. Bordered by Afghanistan and Iran to the west, China to the north and India to the east, it is at the center of the current geopolitical and cultural conflicts. Somewhat larger than the State of Texas, with a high population of 170 million people, Pakistan struggles with the problems of terrorism, poverty, illiteracy and corruption. Nevertheless, there are wild places in this country where wildlife has been protected by local authorities and hunting is allowed for numerous species, some of which are unique to Pakistan.
From the remote heights of the Karakoram and Hindu-Kush Mountains to the arid desert of the Sindh, Pakistan offers the traveling hunter a variety of ecosystems, each with its own fauna and flora. It is a curious mixture of the old and new, with modern cities, such as the capital, Islamabad, and remote mountain villages which take days on foot or horseback to reach. With its tribal cultures and regional autonomous authorities, it is unique amongst Asian countries.
There are four distinct hunting regions in Pakistan. In the high mountains of the Northern Areas, inhabited by the peaceful Balti people (Baltistan), the Himalayan Blue Sheep and the Himalayan Ibex can be hunted. Hunts for Himalayan Tahr and Himalayan Ibex occur at significant altitude and are physically challenging, much like hunting in neighboring Nepal.
The lowland, largely agricultural Punjab Province in the east of the country provides the richest environment for wildlife with the greatest variety of species, but it also the most heavily populated. Here hunters will find the Punjab Urial, as well as huge hog deer, wild boar, blackbuck, nilgai, and Chinkara gazelle. Hunting is confined to private reserves where local princes have protected and managed the wildlife on their lands, and on forestry reserves controlled by the sate government. With the exception of wild boar, which are hunted without limit, and Punjab urial, for which permits are auctioned by the government, permits for other species are limited and difficult to obtain.
In the arid desert of the south and southwest of the country, in the Sindh and Baluchistan provinces, the Blanford Urial is found, as well as the Sindh ibex and the Kennion gazelle. Game numbers are excellent. Hunting permits are controlled by local princes and a few are auctioned by the local governments each year.
Finally, in the tribal areas of western Pakistan, in the Northwest Frontier Province, the coveted markhor are found. The beautifully spiraled horns of these wild goats are unlike those of any other race of wild goats. Markhor are rare and great effort has been expended to bring them back from the brink of extinction. Hunters alone are responsible for the recovery of the markhor populations and have provided a textbook example of what can happen when the resources of the international hunting community are brought to bear on behalf of nature conservation. Today a limited number of permits for markhor are auctioned each year by the federal government and the funds derived from those auctions pay for the on-going conservation of this majestic species.
Pakistan is a fascinating country to visit and for the mountain hunting enthusiast it is an absolute “must”. We offer a complete portfolio of hunts in Pakistan for all huntable species.
Species List:
- Blanford Urial
- Punjab Urial
- Afghan Urial
- Himalayan Ibex
- Sindh Ibex
- Himalayan Blue Sheep
- Kashmir Markhor
- Sulaiman Markhor
- Astor Markhor
- Wild Boar
- Blackbuck
- Nilgai
- Hog Deer
- Chinkara Gazelle
- Kennion Gazelle
- Golden Jackal
