Arab sheikhs banned from bustard hunts by Pakistani province

Houbara bustard's meat is prized for its supposed aphrodisiac qualities and the bird is considered to be at risk of extinction

One of Pakistan's four provinces has banned Arab sheikhs from hunting a protected species of bird, defying Islamabad's longstanding policy of giving hunting licences to key regional allies.

Swaths of habitat used in the winter by the migratory houbara bustard are allocated in blocks to the some of the most senior people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, who come armed with specially modified vehicles and radar systems to track the birds.