Daily Times

MUZAFFARGARH: About 40 people were booked in Lashari Walla jungle- fire case on Tuesday after Punjab CM’s notice which moved local authorities to launch crackdown in connection with igniting the fire.
Separate cases were filed in local police station against accused identified as Khadim Hussain, Saeed Ahmad, Riaz Hussain, Sajjad Hussain, Muhammad Shoeb, Muhammad Rafique, Muhammed Ejaz, Muhammad Bilal, Khan Muhammad, Yaseen, Saeed Ahmed, Gul Muhammad, Khadim Hussain and their unidentified accomplices on report of Sub-engineer Taunsa Barrage Muhammad Asghar, SDO Taunsa Barrage Zia-Ur-Rehman and Xen Taunsa Barrage Sarfraz Khalid.

It’s worth mentioning that fire had broke out on tenth of March in Lashari Walla jungle here, the largest jungle of Southern Punjab located at western brink of Head Taunsa Barrage stretched around 5000 km long terrain without any un-specified reasons.

The jungle was also abode of millions of migratory birds, besides a gigantic source of oxygen for the entire Southern belt.

Fire brigades, civil defence and Rescue 1122 couldn’t initiate rescue activities timely as it is surrounded with river water.

Locals have suspected rivalry of two indigenous political families who wanted to control jungle.

It’s pertinent to note similar fire had been erupted in the jungle reportedly fortnight ago, leaving trees worth millions of rupees burnt to ashes in almost 200 acres area with dozens of cattle had died on the spot.