17 poachers arrested in Punjab’s crackdown on illegal wildlife trade

Large consignment of 50 Alexandrine parrots was intercepted, preventing inter-provincial smuggling

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In an ongoing crackdown against the illegal hunting and trade of wildlife in Punjab, 17 poachers were arrested from Lahore, Gujranwala, Mianwali, Khanewal, Layyah, and Bahawalnagar.

Additionally, an attempt to smuggle a large consignment of 50 Alexandrine parrots across provinces was foiled. The offenders have been fined a total of Rs325,000.

Under the leadership of Deputy Director Wildlife Lahore Region, Dr. Ghulam Rasool, Assistant Director Junaid Alam apprehended two poachers of falcons and fined them Rs20,000.

In Gujranwala, Deputy Director Wildlife Asim Bashir Cheema’s team arrested a poacher involved in illegal bird hunting with an air gun, imposing a fine of Rs10,000.

In Mianwali, Assistant Director Muhammad Imran Chaudhry apprehended six poachers hunting falcons and ducks, issuing fines totaling Rs73,500. Similarly, Assistant Director Sarfraz Hussain in Khanewal, along with his team, arrested six poachers engaged in illegal hunting of wild rabbits and boars using ferocious dogs, fining them Rs 60,000.

In Layyah, Assistant Director Naeem Tahir fined two poachers Rs60,000 for illegal bird hunting with an air gun. In another successful operation, Assistant Director Munawar Hussain Najmi in Bahawalnagar intercepted a large consignment of 50 Alexandrine parrots being smuggled to Karachi, filing charges against the violator and initiating legal action.

Earlier the Punjab Wildlife Department arrested 13 individuals across multiple cities, including Lahore, for wildlife law violations, imposing over Rs200,000 in fines.

In Lahore, two unlicensed bird dealers were apprehended, leading to the recovery of Indian ring-necked and Alexandrine parrots, along with hundreds of sparrows. The sparrows were released, and the parrots were sent to Jallo Wildlife Park. Additionally, 48 Alexandrine parrots were seized in Narowal, and ten partridges in Mianwali.

Arrival of Siberian migratory birds in Pakistan

Meanwhile the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have already started welcoming these feathered visitors, who will remain until March or April, finding sanctuary in the region’s canals, dams, ponds, and forests.

Experts estimate that nearly one million migratory birds, including egrets, houbara bustards, ducks, cranes, teals, pintails, mallards, geese, and waders, journey from Siberia to Pakistan between September and November.

These birds travel along the Indus Flyway, an internationally recognised route known as Migratory Bird Route No. 4, covering around 4,500 kilometres to reach warmer climates.

In Rawalpindi, popular sites such as Ayub Park, the Soan River, Kallar Syedan, Dhan Gali, the Jhelum River banks, Chan Dam, Chakri, Rawal Dam, the Margalla Hills, Salgran, and Lohibher have become havens for these migratory species.

Besides enhancing the region’s natural beauty, experts note that these birds also benefit local agriculture during their stay.