Armed guards of Amjad Afridi’s father allegedly held wildlife officials hostage for several hours and took away several birds from a wildlife sanctuary in Syab Kalay, Kohat, insiders told The Express Tribune on Sunday.
Amjad Afridi is an adviser to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.
“There were six men who took our staff hostage when we refused to hand over the birds they wanted for a barbecue” said a wildlife department official. “The men were later released,” he added.
“An FIR will be registered against the culprits for taking our men hostage and damaging the cages. Around 80 partridges are missing,” he said on Sunday, adding the staff was harassed by the armed men.
“Last year, Amjad Afridi was caught by villagers for hunting illegally in a protected area and now this has happened,” he said.
When contacted, MPA Ishtiaq Urmar, who also acts as an adviser on wildlife to the chief minister, said an investigation into the matter is under way. He, however, claimed the initial report of the incident revealed that the tussle between wildlife officials and the accused’s guards began over a different matter.
“The wildlife department has taken a piece of land on lease from Amjad Afridi’s father and the tussle began when his cattle crossed into the department’s land,” said Urmar.
He added if the investigation reveals thebirds were stolen and cages were damaged, then strict action would be taken against the adviser’s father and his guards.
A wildlife official said while holding the officials hostage, Afridi’s father said since the sanctuary was set up on his land he had the right to take birds from it.
An FIR was filed against five guards by the wildlife department on Monday.
A shorter version of this story was published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2014.
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