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PESHAWAR: Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has raised $1.9 million in revenues from its 2025-26 Trophy Hunting Program, provincial authorities said on Tuesday, with majority of funds to be distributed among local populations.

The trophy hunting program helps authorities curb poaching and preserve rare species apart from creating livelihood opportunities for local populations by promoting eco-tourism in the northwestern Pakistani province.

The revenues include $946,000 from four exportable markhor permits, $553,300 from nine non-exportable markhor permits, $16,042 from 20 non-exportable ibex permits and $398,500 raised through six non-exportable grey goral permits.

Markhor, a wild goat with twisted horns, is Pakistan's national animal and found in the country's mountainous north. The trophy hunting season, which usually begins in Nov. and continues till Apr., involves multiple hunts.

"The trophy hunting program has emerged as a successful example of sustainable wildlife conservation in KP," the provincial wildlife department said in a statement.

"A major share of the revenue is distributed among local communities living near wildlife habitats so they can benefit directly from the program."

While trophy hunting is viewed worldwide as a controversial practice as it involves hunting rare animals, KP authorities say they have created strong incentives for the protection of species like the markhor by sharing a major share of revenues with local residents.

In 2024, the parks and wildlife department in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region auctioned trophy hunting permits for more than 100 endangered animals, with the Astore Markhor goat’s permit fetching the highest bid of $107,000.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is seeking to strengthen its commerce relations with Bangladesh in pharmaceuticals, automotive and mineral sectors, the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Tuesday, amid a thaw in bilateral ties between the two countries.

The development came after the Pakistan prime minister’s coordinator on commerce, Ihsaan Afzal Khan, attended a networking session between the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) in the Bangladeshi capital.

It follows a high-profile visit by Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to Dhaka last month to reset Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, which were scarred by the bloody 1971 conflict but have been reshaped by shifting regional power balances in recent months.

During his meeting with DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed and others, Khan highlighted the uptick in commercial activity between Pakistan and Bangladesh, noting that business communities on both sides were increasingly exploring opportunities in pharmaceuticals, automotive and mineral sectors.

“Khan reaffirmed his commitment to creating a comprehensive and conducive environment for businesses from both countries,” the Pakistani commerce ministry said. “He stressed that enhanced cooperation between private sectors would unlock new avenues for bilateral trade and investment.”

During his visit to Dhaka, Dar met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and apprised him of the key outcomes of his two-day visit, thanking for the “warm hospitality” extended to him and his delegation, according to the Pakistani foreign office.

Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal had also been in Dhaka around the same time, discussing trade and agricultural collaboration, while Pakistan’s foreign secretary Amna Baloch held in April the first bilateral consultations with Bangladesh in 15 years.

“The networking session [in Dhaka] was seen as an important step toward boosting business-to-business collaboration and deepening economic ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh,” the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Tuesday.