Wildlife dept seizes 7,702 dead wild birds in Khanewal

LAHORE:

The Punjab Wildlife Department has carried out a major crackdown against illegal wildlife trade, recovering a huge consignment of dead wild birds during an operation in Khanewal.

Officials said 7,702 dead wild birds, including sparrows, mynas, teals, ducks and partridges, were seized from a passenger bus transporting the consignment from Karachi to Okara. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the main suspect involved in the smuggling.

According to the department, the operation was conducted on a tip-off under the supervision of Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Multan Dr Sajjad Hussain.

Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Khanewal Munawar Hussain Najmi, along with his team, set up a checkpoint and searched a bus arriving from Karachi.

The search led to the recovery of 4,304 sparrows, 3,200 mynas and teals, 196 ducks and two partridges, all found dead.

The consignment had reportedly been booked in the name of a person identified as Rafiq in Okara.

Legal proceedings have been initiated to arrest the accused and take action under wildlife protection laws.

In a separate operation in Attock, Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Shahzaib Khurshid and his team arrested three suspects for illegal hunting and possession of urial and partridge.