The Punjab Wildlife & Parks Department during a crackdown against illegal hunters has arrested 92 people from various areas of the province during the last two months. According to details, a special squad of the wildlife salt range division conducted raids in District Jhelum and Chakwal during November and December 2018 and arrested 81 people while hunting partridges, rabbits and Urial without any permit or permission.

The department challaned these people in 86 different counts and recovered Rs 885,500 as departmental fine while four cases are under trail in different courts. Likewise, the Wildlife & Parks Department Punjab arrested 11 more people from Lahore and Sheikhupura during this period on the charges of hunting rabbits and wild boar. They were, however, released after recovering a departmental fine of Rs 90,000 on the request of accused.

Meanwhile, Sohail Ashraf took over the charge of Director General Wildlife & Parks Department, Punjab. He is from the Pakistan Administrative Service and was earlier serving as Project Director Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019