MANSEHRA: The forest department foiled a timber smuggling bid here on Tuesday by seizing a large quantity of wood illegally obtained from the local forests.

The action was led by Agror and Tanawal divisional forest officer Abrar Ahmad on a tip-off.

Forest officials intercepted a pickup vehicle on the Oghi-Battagram Road and seized beams of deodar and pine trees measuring hundreds of feet and shifted them to the range office’s godown.

Mr Ahmad said smugglers wanted to smuggle wood to other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

He claimed a “significant” decline in timber smuggling in Hazara division and said guards and other forest employees were trained by the Frontier Constabulary in Oghi earlier this year in the use of weapons and other skills to protect forests.

TRAINING: Rescue 1122 officials imparted disaster response training to minor schoolchildren here on Tuesday.

The training programme was held at the central station of Rescue 1122 here.

Rescue 1122 district emergency officer Hafeezur Rehman told reporters after the training session that the event helped preschoolers and first and second graders of the Kohsar Children Academy learn how to respond to earthquakes, fire and other natural and manmade tragedies.

“Minors were educated about their and others safety in case of disasters,” he said, adding that the trainees actively participated in the event.

He said a mishap or disaster could happen anytime, so people shouldn’t panic and respond to it sensibly. It would help minimise damage to public life.

Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 helped out 33 victims of different incidents last week.

In a statement, Rescue 1122 said its emergency control room received 5,411 telephonic calls, which all were effectively responded to.

It added that rescue workers quickly responded to complaints with the help of ambulances and fire tenders.

Rescue 1122 said it shifted 24 people in critical conditions to health centres within the district and 20 to other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2023