Punjab Wildlife officials seized a massive consignment of dead birds in Khanewal, intercepting 7,702 wild birds being smuggled from Karachi to Okara. The haul included sparrows, mynas, bulbuls, ducks, and partridges.
The operation was based on secret intelligence. Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Multan, Dr. Sajjad Hussain, supervised the raid, with Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Khanewal, Munawar Hussain Najmi, and his team setting up a checkpoint to search a passenger bus.
During the search, officials recovered 4,304 sparrows, 3,200 mynas and bulbuls, 196 ducks, and two partridges. All birds were found dead, and authorities said they were booked under the name of a suspect identified as Rafiq from Okara.
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Legal proceedings are underway to arrest the accused, while Punjab Wildlife officials emphasized their commitment to cracking down on wildlife smuggling. They stated that such illegal activities threaten biodiversity and the region’s ecosystem.
In a separate operation in Attock district, Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Shahzaib Khurshid and his team arrested three individuals involved in illegal hunting. The suspects were found possessing urial and partridges.
A fine of Rs150,000 was imposed on a hunter found with partridges, and another case was filed against an individual who shared a video of urial hunting on social media. Authorities confirmed further legal action will continue.
Punjab Wildlife reiterated that strict measures against illegal hunting and smuggling will persist, warning that continued enforcement will protect wildlife and ensure offenders face consequences under the law.