3-day int'l moot from Jan 21 to 23 on raptors conservation, falconry safety.

ISLAMABAD -- Almost 80 participants from around the world have registered with the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) to partake in art and photography exhibition as part of its three-day Pakistan National Strategic Workshop here from January 21 to 23 on 'Conservation of Raptors in Pakistan and Safeguarding of Falconry: A Heritage Sport'.

Talking to reporter, a ministry official said participants including artists, photographers, crafts-persons, from the United Kingdom, Poland, Europe, Japan and United States including local applicants had submitted their nominations.

The work included painting, miniatures, sculptures with the theme of conservation and falconry, he added.

'MoCC wants to introduce a sustainable programme on the pattern of Markhor trophy hunting that will help conserve the rapidly depleting species. It will also help to reduce illegal poaching and hunting of falcons and migratory species at the migration spots inside the country,' he added.

He said falcons' smuggling was a serious issue in Pakistan as 3,000 to 4,000 birds were trapped per year at the migration routes and smuggled off shore as falcons had high economic value in the international market.

Pakistan, he said, was signatory to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Raptors memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the ministry intended to develop National...