LAKKI MARWAT - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Special Assistant for Technical Education Malik Shah Muhammad Khan Wazir and Advisor for Prisons Malik Muhammad Qasim Khan announced lifting of ban on crane hunting in the region.
The announcement was made at a big gathering of hunters organized by crane welfare society at Gandi chowk on Sunday. Crane hunters from Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Karak, North Waziristan and other areas were in the attendance.
Shah Muhammad and Qasim told the hunters that the ban was lifted for a period of two weeks. They claimed that they successfully convinced PTI Chief Imran Khan and Chief Minister Parvez Khattak to direct quarters concerned for lifting ban on hunting.
“The crane hunting is a traditional activity and hunters should avoid shooting birds”, they maintained. Shah asked the hunters to discourage the practice of shooting Siberian cranes.
“The government will not realize the need to ban hunting in future if hunters pledged that they would not use guns to kill the cranes”, he said. He asked the wildlife department officials to hand over the seized birds to their owners and avoid using teasing tactics with hunters.
Malik Qasim said that the officials would face action if they did not stop harassing hunters. He said that the lifting of ban on crane hunting was the outcome of the hunters’ unity. He asked the people to strengthen the hands of Imran Khan so that the vision to get a new Pakistan and bring a real change could be implemented.
Other speakers included former Provincial Minister Umar Farooq, Crane Welfare Society President Abdul Wahab, Advocate Iqbal Hussain of PPP, Salim Nawaz of PTI, Advocate Ihsanullah Khan of JUI-F, Malik Muhammad Ali Khan, Sadiqullah Khan Khattak and Advocate Hidayatullah Khan.
Meanwhile, Bannu wildlife department DFO Abdul Haleem Marwat has said that the ban on crane hunting is still intact, as they have not received any notification so far regarding lifting of ban on hunting.
When contacted he said that the department had not received any orders to that effect and therefore no one would be allowed for hunting Siberian birds. “The hunters will abide by all relevant laws to trap birds if the ban on hunting cranes was lifted by the government”, he maintained.
He also warned that illegal crane hunters would undergo imprisonment and heavy fines if they were found involved in illegal practice of hunting.
TWO KILLED IN FIRING INCIDENTS
Two people were killed in separate firing incidents in Lakki city and Abakhel on Sunday.
Police said that unknown persons killed Jan Muhammad and dumped his body at the outskirts of Lakki city. Rifat Bibi, widow of the deceased told police that her husband Jan Muhammad left the house with unidentified persons last night and did not return.
She said that next day they came to know that the body was dumped near river Gambila. Police said that the dead body was shifted to government city hospital for medico-legal formalities while police registered a case and began investigation.
In another incident, a man killed his brother over a minor dispute in Abakhel village. Mehboob Alam told police that his sons Khursheed Alam and Jalal Shah exchanged harsh words, which led to firing from both sides. As a result, Khursheed Alam was killed while Jalal Shah sustained bullet injuries. Police registered a case and started investigation.
KP GOVERNOR CONDEMNS
LAHORE BLASTS
Staff Reporter from Peshawar adds: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan Sunday strongly condemned the twin blasts at Youhanabad precinct in Lahore incurring loss of innocent lives and leaving many injured. He expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the loss of innocent lives.
In his message of condemnation, governor said that the innocent people were targeted in the churches and termed this attack a barbaric and inhuman act. He said that such cowardly terrorist activities could not weaken and deter the resolve of the nation in the war against terrorism and the scourge of terrorism would be rooted out with the force of national unity.
Governor also expressed solidarity with the Christian community and showed his deep sympathies with the members of bereaved families. He said that the elements involved in these heinous crimes will also no more remain at large and will be brought to the court of law and justice. He has also wished early recovery of the injured.