CHITRAL: The wildlife department booked two persons for their involvement in illegal hunting of protected Kashmir Markhor, and recovered various parts of the hunted animal, including its distinctive spiralled horns, during a raid on their house in the Broze village of Lower Chitral district on Saturday.

The raid was conducted following reports of the community watchers that the poachers had illegally targeted the endangered species within the limits of Gahiret-Golen conservancy.

The community watchers – Mohammad Ghafar and Rehmat Qayum – were on their routine duty at Broze Gol when the alleged poachers – Sibghatullah, Abdul Ghani and an unknown person of Broze Domun village – were found carrying on their back the carcass of an adult markhor.

The poachers opened fire on the watchers and made good their escape in the darkness of night in the forest.

Divisional forest officer of Chitral wildlife division Farooq Nabi told Dawn that after obtaining search warrants, a raiding team was sent to the suspects’ residence at Domun Broze.

He said the alleged poachers were not present in their houses, adding a case was registered against them under different sections of KP Wildlife & Biodiversity Act, 2015, and sections 34 and 506 of Pakistan Penal Code in the city police station.

Mr Nabi said: “Illegal hunting within conservancies threatens conservation efforts and the entire ecosystem.” He said the community conservation model had proved to be exceptionally successful where each and every community member acted as saviour of wildlife.

An official of the city police station told Dawn that suspects had obtained pre-arrest bail from a local court.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2025