LAKKI MARWAT: The provincial government has banned hunting of cranes and directed the wildlife department officials to implement the ban in letter and spirit.

Bannu division forest officer, wildlife, Abdul Halim Marwat told mediapersons on Wednesday that after imposition of ban the wildlife department would not allow inter-district and inter-provincial transportation of cranes. “The establishment of hunting camps and hunting cranes by gunshots or catching water birds through ‘saava’ (weight used with cord to catch cranes) is also banned,” he maintained. He said that the violators would face stern action.

The wildlife official said that the government had also enhanced fee for issuing permits and increased fines on violators of relevant wildlife conservation laws.

Halim Marwat said that chief conservator wildlife, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Syed Mubarak Ali Shah had issued a notification, calling upon people to implement relevant laws and protect wildlife.

He also asked the people to avoid indulging in excessive hunting of cranes and other birds.

GANG BUSTED: Police on Wednesday claimed to have busted a gang involved in robberies and killing of a Class-IV employee of education department.

District police officer Ismail Kharak told a press conference here that unknown armed men had killed Mir Wali during a failed robbery attempt on the night of Sept 19.

He said that the police began making efforts to arrest the killer who had escaped the area after the murder.

The police official said investigators with the help of special police branch arrested the main culprit, Barkatullah, a teenaged boy, from Ummarabad locality. “During interrogation the boy confessed that he along with three other accomplices scaled the house of Mir Wali at midnight to loot cash, and killed him when he offered resistance,” said the police chief.

Mr Kharak maintained that Barkatullah was also involved in theft, robbery and kidnapping incidents, besides having links with the notorious gang of robbers active in Naurang town.

He claimed that efforts were underway to capture other accomplices of Barkatullah.

Meanwhile, all government Class-IV employees association’s district president Pir Ghulam and other office holders appreciated the police for tracing the murderers of Mir Wali.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2014