Arrest warrants for 37 timber smugglers issued

MANSEHRA: The district administration has issued arrest warrants for 37 alleged timber smugglers involved in cutting of trees at various forest divisions in Mansehra. Mansehra Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Zubair has taken notices of the drastic cutting of Pines, Diodar and Biar trees in forests in the jurisdictions of Siran forest division, Kaghan forest division, Oghi Agror forest division and Tanawal forest division. The arrest warrants were issued under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO). The circular issued Friday asked the police and divisional forest officers concerned to arrest forthwith the timber smugglers whose name and details were also enclosed in the circular. The timber smugglers would be confined for at least 40 days and duration could be enhanced, if needed. "We want to preserve our environment that is under threat because of the illegal cutting of forests in the district," the deputy commissioner told reporters. He said that arrest of timber smugglers would be made without any delay. "We are also going to launch a week-long tree plantation drive in the district where over 90,000 saplings would be provided free of charges to people," the official said. He said that over 16,000 saplings would be planted during the tree plantation drive stating from today.