Blackbucks and deer at Lal Suhanra National Park PHOTO: NATIVEPAKISTAN.COM
The park is reportedly a favorite of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, both of whom are known to be regular visitors to the spot.
A few months ago, the prime minister was monitoring the area from a helicopter when he expressed his displeasure over rampant deforestation in the area.
A month ago, Assistant Director Wildlife Muhammad Akbar was given the charge of 65 RD Jangla (cage) which contained over 400 deer, 320 of which had been a gift from the Prince of Dubai.
When Akbar took over the charge from former Assistant Director Chaudhry Iftikhar, he visited the 65 RD cage to discover that the number of deer was far fewer than what it ought to be.
The new AD immediately launched an inquiry and informed District Forest Officer Jawad Hussain in a written report that 284 costly deer had vanished.
The former Assistant Director Wildlife Chaudhry Iftikhar (in tenure for six months) and the one preceding him, Chaudhry Muhammad Zahid (in tenure for six months too) are being accused of theft.
According to sources, several people from the management of the park were involved in malpractices, which included giving permission to influential people to illegally hunt the deer.
Some animals were also reportedly sold for around Rs20,000 each.
District Forest Officer Jawad Hussain has constituted an inquiry team consist of Rana Muhammad Sarwar Range Officer, Zahoor Ahmad Range Officer, Fazlur Rehman Shah SDFO and Iftikhar Ahmad.
But according to a source at the national park, the committee includes the same officials who are suspected to have been complicit in the act.
A group officials who requested not to be name informed the media that arrangements for the protection of the deer were not satisfactory, and only eight to ten watchmen were deployed to protect the eight km cage.
Some of the deer also fall victim to wild animals while some of the officials also gave the deer away as gifts.
District Forest Officer Jawad Hussain told the media that Assistant Director Muhammad Akbar has filed a report of 284 missing deer and the Inquiry committee will be filing their report in 7 days.
COMMENTS (32)
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Pakistan as a whole has become hunting ground not only for animals but for human being as well .
"HIRAN KI HAAYE"@SK, I can not express better than you on this issue .Culture is always nurtured by religion and is manifested in the form of tradition . What u think about it. Please reflect your views on it .
I feel sick to the guts reading the article. Those trusted to protect hapless creatures turned vultures. All those scoundrels involved or implicated in the case must be rounded up tied upside down feet up on a tree and lashed with a bamboo stick until their bottom peels off and they are unable to sit or lie down for years. Then sent the rascals to the jails to rot in agony. I wouldn't be surprise if some of those innocent creatures prowling in makeshift zoos of the corrupt elites or already been dined and wined by those merciless and corrupt oligarchs this country has bred and inherited.
Is there any end to our depravity? And M.Emad stick to your Bangla land. Don't be a peeping Tom especially when you don't like us.
That reminds me, what was the fate of those sick Australian lambs which were rejected by some Gulf country and ultimately landed in Karachi ? or have we (Pakistani masoom qoum) unknowingly eaten them already ?
@M. Emad: Well Emad, I have noticed that you like to rub in to Pakistanis, have you ever look into your own society and country, I suppose India is all squeaky clean, there is no corruption, no RAPES even of foreigners, no poverty, no communal killings, no subjugation of others (Kashmiris), no health problems, no dilapidated roads, buildings, and other infra structure, it seems to me that it is the land of milk and honey and let us not forget the holy cows. Let me remind you that Pakistanis are self critical and even allow you Indians on our papers to spew venom at us. I would say look into your own house before being so nasty to your neighbor.
Every institution is full of corrupt persons. Now somebody is selling deer ( Public property) for 20,000 each. Only God can save this country from "corrupt people".
In a country where no body cares for animal rights it is surprising that people, media, and the courts give so much coverage to missing persons. This is hypocrisy at its worst.
@Kay: Endorse your point
This is where the Royal ARABS spend thier holidays,,,,, hunting down in Pakistan as we allow them,,,,,
as if no body knows .KSA royalities well done. RYK nd bhawalpur are good hunting resorts
missing persons, missing deer.....wonder what would be missing next:)
There's just no regard for life in Pakistan - whether human or otherwise.
'Missing'stan !
Anti-establishment youths-political workers, Minorities, Reason-Logic-Sanity in society, Pre-Islamic heritage, Foreign reserve, Forest-Trees, Endengered Birds and now Deers --- all started 'Missing' in 'Missing'stan.
When people go missing for an indefinite period and are produced after several notices given to concerned authorities by Supreme Court of Pakistan then why not 290 deer can't go missing?
Probably these 290 deer must be having dubious characters and must have been picked up by Wildlife Secret Service Agency.
The authorities should launch a full investigation into the matter and must recover the 290 missing deer at any cost, otherwise, this matter may also go in the court of law for production of 290 deer.
Only sick minds hunt down animals with guns for fun.
Barbarians at the gate
Corrupt to the bone.
Shameful act, these culprit mangers please their bosses bearucrats,politicians, and ministers. On the other hand corrupt bearucrtas, politicians,and ministers receive gift from their corrupt and small minded people.
We as a nation thieves...so sad..shame on zoo management
OMG ! shame on the officials who have such disregard for the voiceless animals, dear Pakistanis is this how you treat your national heritage, sell the killing rights of hobura bustards to the Arabs for money and kill these bueutiful creation of God for petty monetary gains, wake up before all that is beautiful in Pakistan is destroyed, save wildlife not for there sake but for your own sake.
Waiting for Sartaj Aziz to give his valuable opinion on Pakistan's contribution to environment and endangered animals.
So... Pakistan is worried about what is not theirs... Kashmir and Siachin
Look at the mess - with everything Pakistani !
released last year by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,
And I was thinking he became PM after the May elections...
Despicable. I hope the authorities realize the importance of natural conservation one day.
Missing persons, missing schoolchildren and now missing deers. Looks like everything goes missing a lot here
We are not only killing humans but not sparing animals too.
Lack of morality. Everything is for sale including their dear ones.
Corruption rears it's ugly head again. Even at Wild life dept. And no doubt corrupt politicians,thugs were allowed to hunt.
If ever had the power like human, remaining deer would have done the same with the officials!
Check in politicians bungalows you will find them.