Illegal fishing: Court fines three fishermen

A local court has imposed a fine of Rs30,000 on three fishermen for illegal fishing in Mirpur district

MIRPUR: A local court has imposed a fine of Rs30,000 on three fishermen for illegal fishing in Dadayal sub division of Mirpur district. It is for the first time that a court has taken action against unlawful catching of fish under the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Wildlife Act 1975. The accused, identified as Zafar Iqbal, Sabir Hussain and Muhammad Ashfaq, belong to Biyai village of Dadayal and were caught red-handed while catching Mahasher from Poonch-Mahasher National Park. AJK Wildlife and Fisheries Department Director Muhammad Razzaq Chaudhry appreciated the court’s verdict, saying that it is a positive step towards protecting the precious fish in the region.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2012.