Gilgit-Baltistan has witnessed a record-breaking moment in its trophy hunting season for 2025–26, where a permit to hunt the national animal, the markhor, went for more than Rs100 million. Officials say this is the highest amount ever paid anywhere in the world for markhor hunting.
The auction took place at the Forest, Parks, and Wildlife Complex in Gilgit and drew a crowd of hunters, organizers, and local representatives. A total of 118 permits were sold during the event, including four for Astor markhor, 100 for Himalayan ibex, and 14 for blue sheep.
The most expensive permit was purchased for the Nanga Parbat conservancy area by the owner of Safaris, who paid a staggering USD 370,000. The other three markhor permits were sold at prices of USD 286,000, USD 270,000, and USD 240,000. Blue sheep and ibex permits also saw brisk bidding, with Muhammad Ali Nagri securing the costliest blue sheep license for USD 40,000. He also picked up an ibex permit for USD 13,000.
This year’s auction saw a significant increase in base prices, according to Khadem Abbas, Conservator of Parks and Wildlife. The starting price for blue sheep was USD 30,000, the starting price for ibex was USD 10,000, and the minimum price for an Astor markhor was USD 200,000. These amounts were USD 150,000, USD 9,000, and approximately USD 5,500 just a year ago.
Wildlife officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had previously sold a markhor permit in Chitral for USD 271,000, but the Gilgit-Baltistan auction has now surpassed that benchmark by a wide margin.
While the auction was hailed as a financial success, some local tour operators voiced concerns. They warned that sudden fee hikes could discourage foreign hunters and hurt the income of local communities that depend on the program.
Launched back in 1990 from Nagar’s Bar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan’s trophy hunting program has long been held up as a model for wildlife conservation. About 80 percent of the revenue goes directly to local communities, which invest it in conservation and development projects. But the steep rise in permit fees this year has left many wondering whether the scheme’s future appeal can be sustained.
