The Punjab forest department arrested the leader of a wood smuggling network in Khanpur after carrying out an important operation against illegal deforestation, the high -level provincial minister, Maryam Aurengzeb, said Thursday.
The operation was carried out under the environmental protection mission of the Prime Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, who has directed a strict action against the influential timber mafia, according to a statement issued by the department.
Speaking after the raid, Maryam said the Punjab Forest Department quickly acted on a confidential warning and launched an immediate operation in coordination with the Local Police. The authorities confiscated a vehicle full of illegal wood, and multiple suspects were arrested at the scene.
A FIR of the case was recorded at the Shadani police station.
The provincial minister Senior praised the team for his rapid and decisive response.
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He added that after the interim bond of the suspect, the division forests officer (DFO) for Rahim Yar Khan received threats from the accused, who is pressing the department to withdraw the case.
“We have communicated with the district administration, and a second FIR has now registered under Telegraph’s law to formally respond to this illegal intimidation,” he said.
According to Maryam, such threats have become a routine consequence of the strict application, but the government is still unchanged.
“We will not give in to any pressure. There will be no commitment when it comes to protecting our natural resources,” he said. “The police will remain at all costs.”
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He added that the Forest Department, the district authorities and the law enforcement agencies are working in full coordination to dismantle wood smuggling networks.
The provincial minister said that CM Maryam has issued direct instructions to intensify efforts and guarantee the complete protection of forests against powerful wood interests.
In a separate development, the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has confiscated more than 321,000 kilograms of plastic bags with less than 75 microns since a provincial prohibition entered into force on June 5.
According to official data, EPA teams have carried out more than 143,000 inspections throughout the province. A total of 136,961 raids led to the seizure of 249,485 kilograms of plastic, with 72,097 kg recovered in 6,393 raids only in Lahore.
