The Pakistan Wetlands Programme brokered an agreement in October among Government agencies and local area hunters to increase awareness among the water fowl hunting community and government officials to increase conservation awareness and to facilitate greater hunting possibilities.

At the historic event which has been described as being of ‘land mark' importance by Sher Alam Masud, DG Wildlife Department Punjab for the first time in the history of Pakistan members of the provincial wildlife departments, the Pakistan Hunters Association and the Pakistan Wetlands Programme along with other NGOs met for an evening session which included dinner at Lahore's prestigious Gym Khana Club.

Entitled ‘ Hunter Meet 2009', about 100 people attended the event at which the chief guest was Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Chief Game Warden of Punjab. It was the extension of the extremely successful water Fowl Hunters Programme organised, initiated and presented by the awareness-raising and Communication section of the Pakistan Wetlands Programme.

The event was also the venue for the launching Pakistan Waterfowl Hunters Association and the establishment of the Punjab chapter as the first of the provincial memberships. This was also the first in a series of Hunter Meet events at which provincial level hunting issues will be brought forward, discussed, and resolved.

Among the attendees at this event were Brig Shafqat Nawaz Khan, Deputy Director General, Rangers, Punjab Qadeer Mehel, Conservator, Punjab Wildlife Department, Dr. M Nawaz, Vice Chancelor, University of Animal Sciences, Dr. Amin ul Haq Government College, Lahore, University Abdul Munaf, Deputy Inspector General Forest, Ministry of Environment, Government of Pakistan, representatives from UNDP, , Ali Hassan Habib, Director General, WWF Pakistan, and representatives from the many of the Country's most prestigious sporting arms dealers.

The PWP furthered its concern for the plight pf water fowl in particular and increasing needs for stricter but more equitable hunting regulations in general, along with need for heightened environmental awareness, organised the event. It encouraged participation, and ultimately the PWP acted as the intermediary for a successful resolution of differences which may have existed among the participants.

Acting in the spirit of accord and the desire to see hunting be a viable and environmentally possible sport the Pakistan Wetlands Programme drafted the resolution. Its principal authors were Richard Garstang, National Programme Manager, PWP, Masood Arshad, Manager, National Programmes, PWP.

During the intensive pre dinner session the resolution prepared by the PWP was discussed with questions raised and issued resolved. Also instrumental in the successful outcome was the Pakistan Hunters Association, whose representatives gave detailed presentations about the state of hunting in Pakistan and many other aspects related to hunting issues.

Through their good offices the consciousness of the PWP and enthusiasm by Punjab Wild life departments officials the draft resolution was adopted. The participants collectively agreed to the following:

•  To support the promotion of the principles of sustainable uses of waterfowl in Pakistan 's wetlands;

•  To promote a positive public image of hunters and hunting;

•  To assist in the raising of awareness of waterfowl sports hunting and especially, the ethics behind sustainable hunting;

•  To, where possible, help in the restoration of waterfowl habitats, especially the wetlands of global significance;

•  To assist in raising of funds to support wetlands conservation and sustainable use initiatives;

•  To support wildfowl research by retrieving bird rings that are recovered during hunting activities;

•  To help control destructive hunting practices through networking and coordination of efforts;

•  To, where possible, provide technical and financial help in improving ex-situ breeding initiatives;

•  To enhance and disseminate a personal code of waterfowl hunter ethics in close collaboration with the Pakistan Wetlands Programme ; and , finally

•  To actively support any credible effort to unite the waterfowl hunters of Pakistan under a responsible Hunter-Conservationist umbrella organization with regional “Chapters” to ensure adequate local representation

During the event the late field biologist Rafiq Rajput was eulogised, regrets expressed and a commemorative plaque given to the Sindh Wildlife Department in his honour following his untimely demise only a few days before due to snake bite while on a survey expedition in Balochistan.

More “Hunters Meet” to thrash out provincial hunting issues in the NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan and the adoption of appropriate collective agreements will take place throughout 2009 under the auspices of the Pakistan Wetlands Programme.