Latest news with #IslamabadWildlifeManagementBoard
Express Tribune
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Case lodged over viral Margalla deer killing
Kohsar police on Saturday registered a case after a video of a rare deer being slaughtered in the Margalla Hills went viral on social media, sparking public outrage. The suspects had been identified and nominated in the case. They may face up to three years in prison and a fine of Rs1 million. The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Ayesha Shehzad, Assistant Director of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB). According to the FIR, the individuals seen in the viral video have been identified as Bashir Abbasi, Zain Abbasi, and other unidentified persons, all residents of Gokeena village. Their actions are in clear violation of the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act. The complaint also requests police assistance in recovering the remains of the animal, including its hide and skull. Under the sections applied in the FIR, the accused may face up to one year in jail and a fine of Rs1m, while Section 379 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which has also been invoked, carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. According to sources, police have begun searching for the suspects following the registration of the case. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Malik, strongly condemned the reported killing of a deer in the Margalla Hills National. Terming the act "cruel" and "unacceptable," the minister ordered an immediate inquiry and directed relevant authorities to submit a report on the incident without delay.
Express Tribune
05-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Suspects booked for poaching rare Barking Deer in Islamabad
deer at the jungle in Mondulkiri province, some 500 kilometers northeast of Phnom Penh. Photo: AFP/ File Listen to article A case has been registered at Kohsar police station following the illegal killing of a barking deer in the Margalla Hills, officials said on Saturday. The suspects named in the FIR include Bashir Abbasi and Zain Abbasi, residents of Gokina village, which is situated within the Margalla Hills area. The case was filed on the complaint of Ayesha Shehzad, assistant director of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board. According to the complaint, the accused unlawfully slaughtered a rare species of deer known as the barking deer. Authorities have recovered the animal's remains, including its skin and skull, as evidence. مارگلہ ہلز نیشنل پارک میں ہرن ذبیح کرنے کا واقع اسلام آباد وائلڈ لائف کی جانب سے قانونی کاروائی کے لیے جمع کروائی گئی درخواست پر ایف آئی آر کا اندراج ۔ ایکٹ کے شیڈول ون کے تحت بارکنگ ڈئیر تحفظ شدہ جانور ہے۔ اسلام آباد وائلڈ لائف نیچر ایکٹ 2024 کی دفعات کے تحت کاروائی کی درخواست — Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) (@WildlifeBoard) July 5, 2025 The case was registered under sections A-4/12 and A-16 at the Kohsar police station. These sections carry penalties that may include a fine of up to Rs10 million, imprisonment for up to one year, or both. In addition, Section 379 has been invoked, which relates to theft and carries a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment. The incident had earlier drawn the attention of Federal Minister for Climate Change, Musadik Malik, who took notice and ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter. The minister condemned the killing, which came to light after a video showing the slaughter circulated on social media. He stressed that hunting and killing wildlife in protected areas is a grave violation of environmental laws and will not be tolerated. Musadik Malik directed relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report at the earliest. He further underlined the government's commitment to protecting wildlife and ensuring strict enforcement of conservation laws across the country.
Express Tribune
01-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Two black bears rescued in DG Khan
In an action against wildlife crimes, authorities rescued two black bears being kept in illegal captivity in Dera Ghazi Khan during a joint operation conducted by the Punjab Wildlife Department and local law enforcement agencies. One suspect was arrested and formally charged under the Punjab Wildlife Act. The operation was led by Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger DG Khan, Sidra Al-Muntaha, and Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Muzaffargarh, Abdul Razzaq, with the support of the Muzaffargarh District Police and intelligence officials. Following the successful rescue, the case was brought before a local court, which ordered the immediate transfer of the two bears to the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB). The court also directed that legal proceedings be initiated against the accused individual involved in the illegal captivity.
Express Tribune
25-03-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
IWMB commended for bear rescue
Workers of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and Four Paws International shift the rescued Asian Black Bear, Rocky, to its new shelter in the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at the Old Marghazar Zoo, Islamabad. PHOTO: ONLINE The Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination, led by Federal Minister Musadik Masood Malik, has reaffirmed its commitment to wildlife protection and animal welfare with the successful rehabilitation of Rocky, a 7-year-old Asian Black Bear rescued from a horrific past. Rocky's tragic story came to light after a viral video revealed the severe abuse he endured, including being forced to participate in 35 brutal dog fights in Sargodha. Severely injured, with a broken jaw that left him unable to eat, Rocky was rescued through the combined efforts of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and Four Paws International. Upon learning of Rocky's condition, the ministry intervened to facilitate his rescue. Responding to a request from the Punjab Wildlife Department, IWMB and Four Paws International safely sedated and transported Rocky to the IWMB Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre, where he received urgent medical care, including wound stitching, neutering, and microchipping for future identification. Rocky was successfully moved to his new enclosure, marking a significant step in his recovery.
Express Tribune
06-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Govt shuts down Lahore Zoo
Listen to article Authorities in Punjab have decided to close the Lahore Safari Zoo for 15 days starting March 11 to carry out essential maintenance and repairs, officials said. The closure will allow annual construction work and infrastructure upgrades to be completed ahead of the Eid holidays, a Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department spokesperson said. During the shutdown, all animals will undergo comprehensive medical check-ups to ensure their health and wellbeing, the spokesperson added. Lahore Safari Zoo periodically undergoes renovations to improve facilities for both animals and visitors. The zoo is expected to reopen before Eid with upgraded amenities. Moreover, in another development, a 7-year-old Asian bear who was kept in illegal captivity and used for baiting (for fighting with trained dogs) in Punjab's city Jauharabad (Khushab) was rescued earlier this week. The nonstop rescue operationfrom Vienna to Lahore; from Lahore to Jauharabad and then from Jauharabad to Islamabad ended with safe landing of the poor creature at the animal rescue & rehabilitation centre (previously Murghazar Zoo) of Islamabad. According to details, the rapid response team from global animal welfare organisation Four Paws, under the lead of Dr Amir Khalil (a well-known name now in Pakistan in animal rescue) launched a prompt rescue and relocation mission on the request of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and the Punjab Wildlife Department and relocated the poor creature to Islamabad's animal rescue centre. The male bear named 'Rocky' by the team was earlier confiscated by the authorities from illegal private custody after he had been subjected to severe abuse as a baiting bear. He was abused in 35 fights so far it was informed and his condition was pretty bad severely injured with several bleeding wounds on his face and back.
