KARACHI - 

At least 25 special permits have been issued to dignitaries belonging to the Arabian peninsula allowing them to hunt the internationally protected houbara bustard during the hunting season 2011-2012

Sources said almost half of the 25 permits — 12 to be precise — have been issued to men from the United Arab Emirates.

Hunters from the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain received seven and five permits, respectively.

However, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the largest and the richest country in the region, received just one permit as against the usual two that it used to get earlier, the sources said.

The permit holders include at least three rulers, many crown princes, and other members of royal families.