LAKKI MARWAT: The wildlife department foiled a birds’ smuggling bid and seized precious birds from a Multan-bound bus near Wanda Banochi checkpost here on Sunday.

Acting on a tip-off, DFO wildlife, Bannu, Abdul Halim Marwat formed a special team headed by SDFO Lakki Abdul Rehman to foil the smuggling attempt,” said an official.

He said that the team stopped a bus near Wanda Banochi checkpost on Bannu-DI Khan road, and during search recovered 64 different kinds of partridges from it.

“An alleged smuggler named Rafiq Khan hailing from Bannu was arrested on the spot,” he maintained, saying that the birds were being illegally transported to Multan from Bannu. He said that the seized birds included 31 grey partridges, 10 black partridges, eight sand partridges and 15 see-see partridges.

When contacted, DFO Halim Marwat told Dawn that the wildlife employees were to be lauded for foiling attempt to smuggle precious and endangered birds to down country. He said that the Bannu wildlife division had implemented the orders of provincial secretary environment regarding ban on hunting in letter and spirit.

He called upon the people to cooperate with the department to ensure protection of wildlife and its natural habitats.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2014