LAHORE: Five people were arrested by Sheikhupura police on Thursday on the direction of the provincial additional chief secretary on charges of illegally cutting thousands of trees from a reserve forest near Choohang.

The direction was given during a meeting of a special committee constituted to probe the allegation of stealing of the trees.

The meeting was told that the over 3,000-acre forest had hundreds of thousands of trees. The provincial mines department had granted a two-year lease for excavating sand and mud from the forest but the contractor allegedly created a 35ft deep swamp which was filled with stagnant water. This he did allegedly in connivance with forest guards.

The ACS said theft of over 35,000 trees and illegal digging of sand from the forest area was intolerable.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2016