GILGIT, Pakistan: Khadim Abbas, a middle-aged wildlife conservator, often stands atop the windswept cliffs of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), gazing out over its vast, rugged expanse.
The endlessly stretching horizon and snow-capped peak of the formidable mountains hold an irresistible pull, dragging him back time and again.
Below, he sees the communities of the hard-to-reach areas of Gilgit-Baltistan—previously known as northern areas—once not under the radar of the global attention, but now at the core of the unique conservation initiative.
Custodian communities pledge to protect wildlife in exchange for 80 per cent of the revenue generated from legal hunts.” – Khadim Abbas, Wildlife Conservator
Abbas—who serves Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department—also witnessed the beginning of trophy hunting two decades ago, which, on the one hand, is seen as an initiative that contributed to the conservation of the endangered species; but, on the other hand, criticised for violating the ethical standards.
Trophy hunting in G-B
For every hunting season that begins on November 1 and ends on April 25, the Gilgit-Baltistan Parks and Wildlife Department issues permits for hunting 118 species, some of which are rare.
According to the wildlife department website, the programme was started in Bar Valley of Nager district in 1990.
These permits include hunting of four Astore markhors, 14 blue sheep, and 100 Himalayan ibexes—permissible under the Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Act, 1975, following strict regulations.
Out of the 100 ibex permits, 50 are exportable—allowing the hunter to take the head, horns, animal hide, and meat of the trophy to their home country—28 are non-exportable, 10 are allocated to Gilgit-Baltistan residents, and 12 are reserved for Pakistani nationals.
In Islam, hunting is not prohibited—it is halal in every Muslim school of thought. If done legally with a license, it’s not a big deal.” – Irfan Jan, Local Hunter
During the current hunting season 2024-2025, permits for four Astore markhors, 13 blue sheep, and 68 Himalayan ibexes were sold. The license fee for Astore markhors ranges between $150,500 and $160,000. Similarly, the license fee for exportable Himalayan ibexes exceeds $10,000, while the fee for blue sheep is above $25,000.
Hunting for a ‘cause’
Conservationists argue that the trophy hunting programme in the northern Pakistan helps prevent poaching and empowers local communities. Conversely, critics contend that killing animals for sport undermines ethical wildlife practices.
Khadim Abbas believes that the trophy hunting programme operates on a mutual agreement. “Custodian communities pledge to protect wildlife in exchange for 80 per cent of the revenue generated from legal hunts,” he says.
The share is earmarked for the community’s social development, with 30 per cent specifically allocated to conservation efforts. The remaining 20 per cent is retained by the department.
Last year, four Astore markhors, six blue sheep, and 52 ibexes were hunted, generating a total trophy hunting revenue of Rs. 309.60 million for the 2023-24 season: its 80 per cent (Rs. 247.68 million) was distributed among various communities involved in conservation.
According to the wildlife department website, the trophy hunting programme was first introduced in 1990 in the Bar Valley of the Nagar district in Gilgit-Baltistan, with the involvement of local communities. International hunters, paying substantial sums for the opportunity, were attracted to the programme. Since then, the initiative has expanded to various regions across Gilgit-Baltistan.
We allow the hunting of our national animal and endangered species [just] for the sake of money.” – Hassan Virk, Researcher
Currently, 47 Community-Controlled Hunting Areas (CCHAs) are notified in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Abbas notes that the programme has significantly helped restore populations of species once on the verge of extinction, including the Astore markhor, Himalayan ibex, and blue sheep. Surveys are conducted before selecting CCHAs for trophy hunting.
The Astore markhor (Capra falconeri) is the most valuable species in Pakistan’s trophy hunting programme. According to the 2021-22 survey report, the population of Astore markhors increased from 1,319 individuals to 1,768 in the 2023-24 survey.
Similarly, the population of Himalayan ibexes (Capra sibirica) rose from 5,149 in 2021-22 to 5,511, while blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) numbers increased from 626 in 2021-22 to 1,322 in 2023-24 in Sokhterabad and Shimshal CCHAs.
Abbas approximates the trophy hunting programme to be roughly a Rs. 1 billion industry, which includes—besides the hunting trophy license fees—permit fees, weapon price, weapon license fees, visa fees, and expenses related to outfitters managing hunters’ travel, accommodation, logistics, hoteling, and food.
Explaining the difference between license and permit fees, he says a license grants general hunting rights, which a hunter obtains through bidding, whereas a permit is an official printed document that grants the hunter authorisation to hunt the trophy in a specified Community-Conserved Hunting Area (CCHA).
Gilgit-Baltistan Parks and Wildlife Department’s technical committee—consisting Wildlife Department secretary, chief conservator, conservator, and range forest officers—selects animals that are nearing their natural death, which helps ensure that healthier animals have better access to available resources.
“Prior to the introduction of trophy hunting, people used to hunt illegally, which benefited only individuals. However, with the implementation of trophy hunting, the benefits now extend to the entire community,” Abbas argues.
Trophy hunting, he believes, instils a sense of ownership in communities, motivating them to actively work towards wildlife conservation.
The department ensures the proper utilisation of funds allocated to the community through regular audits. “If a community fails to satisfy the department’s requirements, their payment for the next hunting season is withheld to ensure the funds are used for the benefit of the community,” he adds.
An ecologist at Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) Syed Yasir Abbas supports trophy hunting only as a conservation tool.
“One hunt can conserve the entire biodiversity of an area while also uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the community,” Abbas claims, explaining that the selected animal for hunting is typically one that is naturally nearing the end of its life.
However, Abbas emphasises that strict adherence to trophy hunting guidelines is essential to ensure the programme’s effectiveness and sustainability.
Based in Khunjerab—a town near Pak-China border which is the highest paved international border crossing in the world with an elevation of 4,706 metres above the sea level—Mehboob Rabbani is a conversation activist who heads a non-profit, community organisation established in 1993.
Rabbani says that trophy hunting has provided a mechanism for channelling benefits directly to local communities. Last year alone, he recalls, Rs. 70 to 80 million from trophy hunting were distributed among communities involved in conservation in the Gojal area of Hunza.
He adds that KVO received Rs. 8.6 million as their share last year and expects the share to be higher this year, as the base price for permits has increased.
“The 20 per cent of the total revenue is retained by the government, while 80 per cent goes to the communities. Of that 80 per cent 30 per cent must be spent on conservation, while the rest is used for administrative expenses, education scholarships, healthcare funds, and economic development projects, such as microfinance initiatives to support small businesses.”
Through the hunter’s scope
A local hunter, Irfan Jan, who hunted an ibex on January 17 this year in the Khyber area of Hunza, shares his perspective. “in Islam, hunting is not prohibited—it is halal in every Muslim school of thought. If done legally with a license, it’s not a big deal,” he says.
Jan, a professional shooter, won first prize in gun shooting competitions at the Gun & Country Club held and at the Police Lines Islamabad, on January 1, 2025, and on October 19, 2024, respectively.
He emphasises the importance of conservation, recalling the scarcity of wildlife two decades ago. “Growing up in Gilgit, I remember a time when ibexes were nearly extinct. For example, in Khyber, the total population of ibexes was just 43 about 25-30 years ago. Now their population has exceeded 1,300—thanks to conservation efforts.”
He gives the credit to the communities who sacrifice a lot for this cause. Even though animals sometimes damage crops, the communities tolerate it for the greater good.
Jan also underscores the importance of following hunting regulations. “You’re only allowed to hunt mature males with horns measuring at least 38 inches. Females and younger animals are off-limits,” he explains.
Instead of killing these magnificent animals, in a kinder world, revenue would be generated from photographers, filmmakers, and adventurers who simply want to see wildlife living free and wild in their natural habitat.” – Mahera Omar, filmmaker and animal welfare advocate
He believes trophy hunting reduces illegal hunting. “Someone like me, who is passionate about hunting, might resort to illegal hunting if trophy hunting weren’t available. In illegal hunting, no one cares whether the animal is young or old, male or female. It really threatens the species,” he says, hastening to add trophy hunting, on the other hand, ensures sustainability.
The shadowed truth
Hassan Virk, a researcher from Lahore, does not support the trophy hunting.
He is pursuing his Ph.D. in anthropology at the Australian National University in Canberra. His research focuses on studying life, death, and survival in Gilgit-Baltistan through the lens of human-animal relationships.
From his perspective, trophy hunting is unethical. “We allow the hunting of our national animal and endangered species [just] for the sake of money.”
He describes Gilgit-Baltistan as a territory already suffering from issues like economic violence, load-shedding, and suicides. “In such a context, trophy hunting introduces a new form of violence against animals and a symbolic violence against people. These hunters come with guns and, regardless of their intentions, promote a culture of violence.”
He is also critical of the mode and pace of the compensation delivery to the communities. He cites the examples of Diamer, Tangir (both situated in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan), and Astore “where no tangible benefits are visible on the ground.”
Likewise, he alleges, in Haramosh Conservancy, trophy hunting took place two years ago, but the community only received the money last month.
“The wildlife department claims the payment was withheld due to local disputes, while the locals blame the department for intentionally delaying the payments. A similar situation exists in Jutiyal Sakwar Conservancy.”
During his research he observed that the guidelines clearly state that one cannot hunt an animal when it is part of a herd. However, he claims, the majority of ibex and blue sheep hunts occur when the animals are in herds.
Besides, hunting from roads or aiming from vehicles is prohibited, “but many aged hunters coming from abroad prefer hunting from the road and aiming from their vehicles.”
A kinder alternative
Mahera Omar, a Karachi-based filmmaker and co-founder of the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), thinks along the same lines.
“Instead of killing these magnificent animals, in a kinder world, revenue would be generated from photographers, filmmakers, and adventurers who simply want to see wildlife living free and wild in their natural habitat. And what a glorious and ethical thing that would be indeed.”
