In a significant victory against illegal deforestation, Punjab’s Forest Department has arrested the ringleader of a timber smuggling network during a major operation in Khanpur, Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb announced Thursday. The raid was part of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s environmental protection mission, which includes a strict crackdown on the timber mafia.
Acting on a confidential tip-off, forest officials and local police launched a coordinated operation in Khanpur tehsil of Rahim Yar Khan. A vehicle loaded with illegal timber was seized, and several suspects were apprehended. An FIR was registered at the Shadani Police Station.
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Minister Maryam Aurangzeb commended the swift response but revealed that the divisional forest officer later received threats from the main accused, who was granted interim bail. A second FIR has now been filed under the Telegraph Act in response to these threats. “We will not yield to any pressure,” she said. “There will be no compromise when it comes to protecting our natural resources.”
In parallel, the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has intensified enforcement of the plastic bag ban. Since June 5, over 321,000 kilograms of plastic bags under 75 microns have been confiscated across the province. EPA teams have conducted more than 143,000 inspections, with Lahore alone accounting for over 72,000 kilograms of seized plastic in 6,393 raids.
