Staff Correspondent
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has generated more than Rs335 million through the auction of four markhor trophy hunting permits, setting a new record.
The auction was held under the supervision of Chief Conservator of Wildlife Dr Mohsin Farooqi. Four exportable markhor hunting permits were auctioned for village conservation committees in Chitral and Kohistan.
The permits generated total revenue of $1.2118 million, equivalent to approximately Rs335.685 million, for the provincial government.
The highest bid was recorded for the Toshi Two markhor hunting permit in Chitral, which sold for $335,600, or approximately Rs92.965 million. This exceeded last year’s highest bid of $272,000, equivalent to around Rs75.347 million.
The Toshi One permit was auctioned for $320,600, approximately Rs88.8 million, while the Gahiret Gol permit fetched $260,000, or around Rs72 million.
The Kaigah Khowar permit was sold for $295,600, equivalent to approximately Rs81.8 million.
Under the revenue-sharing arrangement, 80 per cent of the proceeds will be spent on local community welfare and wildlife conservation, while the remaining 20 per cent will be deposited in the government treasury.
The programme aims to generate revenue while supporting local communities and wildlife protection efforts.
It may be mentioned here that in September last year the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had issued six permits for the trophy hunting of markhor, and hunters placed record-breaking bids in this year’s auctions in Chitral.
Hunters drove the highest bid of the season in Lower Chitral’s Toshi-I conservancy, where a permit sold for Rs 69.7 million. They purchased the Toshi-II permit for Rs 68.9 million, while another bidder secured a permit in the buffer zone of Toshi Gol National Park in Chitral Gol Conservancy for Rs 68.3 million.
Related: