IWMB Park Rangers foil hunting attempt in Margallas

-Impose Rs 120,000 fine on poachers

By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD: The Park Rangers of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), with the assistance of Punjab Wildlife Department, conducted a successful operation against poachers near the eastern border of Margalla Hills National Park.
According to the IWMB, a special team of Park Rangers led by Director Wildlife, Assistant Director Wildlife and Supervisors, traced the poachers while acting on the information shared by local sources.
“Eight hunters with their rifles were lying in ambush on the eastern border of the National Park to hunt wild deer and wild fowl (kaleej pheasant),” an IWMB official stated.
The park rangers carried out a successful operation and took two poachers into custody along with their weapons, while the others managed to escape.
The Park Rangers imposed a fine of Rs 120,000 on hunters for possessing illegal rifles, and handed them over to the Punjab Wildlife Department for further legal action.
The IWMB official said that the area of the National Park from where the accused were arrested, was close to the Punjab province’s Murree tehsil, and the accused reportedly came from that area.
The Punjab Wildlife Department was well aware of the area and its surroundings. It assisted the IWMB to trace the hunters, making the operation successful, he added.