TOBA TEK SINGH, Dec 20: Punjab’s second biggest forest spread over hundreds of acres along river Ravi near Kamalia has been cleared of criminals.

DPO Ahmad Ishaque Jehangir told a news conference here on Saturday that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had given him the task and his team had completed it during a week-long operation.

He said five dangerous proclaimed offenders who had managed their escape from the forest after the start of the operation had also been arrested.

They were wanted by police in several cases of murder, dacoity and kidnap for ransom, including the murder of known landlord of Kamalia Chaudhry Ghulm Mustafa.

The arrested include Babar Mushtaq, Asad Mushtaq and Ijaz alias Khummi of Chak 712 GB, Hasan Ali Jafar and Imran Fazal of Chak 739-GB.

The DPO said that he had forwarded a proposal to DCO Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf that the forest department might be requested to make this forest a picnic resort. He said the Punjab police IG had also been requested to approve a police post in the forest for the safety of visitors.

He said that all wood coal kilns around the forest had been demolished because they served as hideouts of the criminals.

He said prizes had been recommended (to the IGP) for the team which took part in the forest operation.