LAKKI MARWAT -  The wildlife department claimed to have arrested a bird smuggler near Wanda Banochi checking point at Indus Highway on Sunday.

Divisional Forest Officer Wildlife Khan Malook told The Nation that he had received information about the fleeing of a birds’ smuggler Zalo Khan who had been declared proclaimed offender by a local court.  

"Upon that a special team headed by Lakki range officer Mir Aslam Khan was directed to ensure arrest of the proclaimed offender at all costs”, he maintained.

He said that the wildlife department team intercepted a Karachi bound bus near Wanda Banochi checking point and arrested the bird smuggler Zalo Khan resident of Wanda Akhundan (Lakki Marwat).  

It is to be recalled that a team of wildlife department had arrested Zalo Khan and seized from him 110 Siberian cranes on Oct 10, 2013, but a local police official had forcibly got released him along with seized birds from the custody of wildlife officials.

However, the wildlife officials had registered a case against the bird smuggler under relevant section of Wildlife Act and forwarded it to a local court for trial.

The court declared the accused Zalo Khan as proclaimed offender for avoiding attending trial.