A team from the Punjab Wildlife Department came under armed attack during an early morning anti-poaching operation near Toba Tharola in Rahim Yar Khan district, leaving one officer injured and damaging an official vehicle.
The assailants, suspected of illegally hunting endangered wildlife, fled the scene. An FIR has been registered at Derawar police station.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by Senior Wildlife Ranger Usman Khan, the department received a tip-off about illegal hunting activity involving the endangered Chinkara deer.
Acting on the intelligence, a team led by Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Mujahid Kaleem, along with Ranger Nadir Ali, driver Amjad Farooq and other staff, reached the area around 5:50am on Monday.
The team intercepted a suspicious white vehicle believed to be involved in poaching.
As officials attempted to stop the car, one of the suspects, identified as Tahir, allegedly opened fire on the officers.
Wildlife Officer Muhammad Safdar sustained injuries to his face and eye due to shattered glass from the vehicle's window, while the other suspects also fired shots before escaping under the cover of darkness.
The FIR includes charges under Section 324 (attempted murder), Section 427 (mischief causing damage), Section 186 (obstructing public servants), and Sections 148 and 149 (rioting and unlawful assembly) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Additionally, Section 12 of the Punjab Protected Areas Act 2020 (amended 2025), which prohibits unauthorised hunting in protected zones, has also been invoked.
The complainant stated that he can identify the attackers.
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