BAHAWALPUR
About 284 deer which were donated by the Prince of Dubai have 'mysteriously' gone missing from the Laal Sohanra National Park while the management has set up a committee to ferret out facts surrounding the mystery.
According to details, a month ago, Assistant Director Wildlife was given the charge of 65 RD Jangla (cage) where 320 deer, gifted by the prince of Dubai deer, along with 100 others were housed.
However, after taking charge from his predecessor former Assistant Director Chaudhry Iftikhar, when the Assistant Director Muhammad Akbar visited the 65 RD Cage he found out the number of deer was less. He immediately informed District Forest Officer Jawad Hussain in a written report that 284 precious deer were missing from the cage.
Reportedly, former Assistant Director Wildlife Ch Iftikhar who was deployed for six months and his predecessor Assistant Director Wildlife Chaudhry Muhammad Zahid was who also deployed for six months are also being accused of the 'theft.'
District Forest Officer Jawad Hussain has constituted a team consists of Range Officer Rana Muhammad Sarwar, Range Officer Zahoor Ahmad, SDFO Fazalur Rehman Shah and Assistant Director Wildlife Iftikhar Ahmad to conduct any inquiry into the 'incident'.
Meanwhile, sources in the national park, informed that the suspected officials were also part of the inquiry committee. While officials, requesting anonymity, told the media that arrangements for the protection of deer were poor and not up to the standard as only eight to 10 watchmen were deployed to keep guard of eight-km-long cage. The officials suspected that some of the deer might have been fall victim to wild animals while some could have been ended up as 'gifts to some mighty people.' On the other hand, District Forest Officer Jawad Hussain told the media that acting on a written complaint from Assistant Director Muhammad Akbar about the missing of 284 deer he had constituted an Inquiry committee which will submit its report within seven days.
It is to be noted that National Park Laal Sohanra is the favourite place of Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Punjab CM Mian Shahbaz Sharif and they used to visit it from time to time. A few months ago, PM Nawaz Sharif took an aerial view of the park from helicopter and expressed anger over the fast depleting forest in the area. However, on the other hand, the theft of wood continues unchecked and unabated.­