Forest fire: Ex-lawmaker moves court for FIR registration

PESHAWAR: A former lawmaker has moved a local court for registration of first information report (FIR) against the government officials including Swabi deputy commissioner for criminal negligence and removal of evidence of fire on forests due to which millions of rupees trees were burnt to ashes in Swabi district.

Salim Khan, a former lawmaker of the KP Assembly, filed the application under Section 22-A of Criminal Procedure Code in the court of District and Sessions Judge Swabi/Justice of Peace.

He sought direction for district police officers and station house officers of Swabi to register the FIR against Deputy Commissioner Swabi, Suleman Lodhi, Abdul Ghani Shah, Sub-Divisional Forest Officer, Swabi, and Farhad Khan, Sub-Divisional Officer, Wildlife, Swabi for showing criminal negligence and removing the evidence of fire on forests.

The applicant said recently incidents of fire took place in the forest of Karamar (Kalu Khan), Mangal Chai, Chanai Gadoon area and Bellajat on the bank of Indus River as well as forest situated adjacent to Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute in Topi tehsil.

The applicant said trees were set on fire due to which wildlife was annihilated and millions of rupees damage caused to the exchequer.

It was stated the matter was reported repeatedly in the print and electronic media and on the social media, but the relevant officer of the district kept mum over it and took no practical step to prevent the incidents and also avoided visiting the affected areas and did not bother to assess the damage caused.

“In fact it was an intentional criminal act on behalf of some persons under umbrella of the district officers to conceal the corruption in the so-called “Billion Trees Tsunami” project initiated by the provincial government, which was going to be investigated by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Assembly and the National Accountability Bureau,” the former lawmaker claimed in the petition.

He said the deputy commissioner did not serve any show-cause notice on Abdul Ghani Shah Sub-Divisional Forest Officer, Swabi, and Farhad Khan, Sub-Divisional Wild Life Officer Swabi.

He said he approached the district police officer and the SHOs concerned for registration of the case against the respondent officials, but to no avail.

The applicant requested the court to direct the police officers to register FIR against the officials for their criminal negligence and damaging evidence of the offence under Section 435 and 201 of the Pakistan Penal Code.