BUREWALA City News

Timber mafia busted in Burewala

Forest guard among four booked

From Our Correspondent

BUREWALA: Sadr police arrested two members of the timber mafia and booked four others for stealing official timber worth millions of rupees at Pakpattan-Islam (PI) Link canal here on Thursday.

The timber mafia allegedly led by Forest Department guard Bashir Ahmad Kathia was involved in stealing and selling official timber. On Wednesday night, residents of Chak 499/EB and 501/EB saw that some people were busy loading stolen timber on a tractor-trolley. They immediately informed police, who rushed to the spot and arrested two gang members, who were cutting timber. Police also impounded a bull-cart and a tractor-trolley loaded with timber. During preliminary investigation, the arrested thieves informed the police that Forest Department guard Bashir Ahmad Kathia was allegedly patronising them.

Police have registered a case against forest guard Bashir Ahmad, clerk Muhammad Khalid Gujjar, gang members Imran, Muhammad Jamil and Khan Muhammad, residents of Chak 523/EB, and tractor owner Ayaz Khan of Chak 69/12-L. A case has been registered under Sections 379 and 411 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

It is learnt that a private contractor, Muhammad Arshad Bhatti, was also allegedly involved in the timber theft. Earlier, the people had also complained against the same forest guard to the officers concerned many times. Sahiwal Divisional Forest Officer Rana Ishtiaq Ali had appointed Muhammad Sajjad Gujjar as the inquiry officer, who conducted the inquiry and found the allegations true.

When contacted, Sahiwal District Forest Officer Rana Ishtaiq Ali said that the forest guard was found involved in corruption. He said that he was transferring the guard to other division as he had no authority to take action against him. He said that the guard had also been issued a show-cause notice.

CANDIDATES WARNED: Punjab Assistant Election Commissioner Chaudhry Masroor Ahmad has asked the candidates for PP-232 by-elections to follow the rules of the Election Commission of Pakistan during their campaigns otherwise strict action would be taken against them.

Chairing of meeting of the candidates and the officials at the TMA Hall here on Thursday, he asked the candidates to set up their polling camps 400 yards from the polling stations. The voters would not be allowed to enter the polling stations with their mobile phones, he added. He said that development projects and their advertisements in the constituency were prohibited.

The assistant election commissioner said that display of weapons was banned till the by-polls. He listened to the complaints of the candidates and assured them of his full cooperation.

Vehari District Coordination Officer Ali Akbar Bhatti, Vehari District Returning Officer Amir Javed, Burewala Assistant Commissioner Ahmer Sohail Kaifi, Burewala DSP Zulfiqar Ali Sandrana, PML-N candidate Muhammad Yousaf Kaseliya, PTI candidate Ayesha Nazir Jatt, Mirza Mehboob Rabbani, Malik Rashid Faraz Awan and others attended the meeting.