Timber smugglers fire at forest guards in Mansehra

MANSEHRA: The timber smugglers opened fire on the forest guards and left behind the illegally cut trees while fleeing in Shergar area of Agror Tanawal forest division.

“The guards, who had rushed to the forest where the timber smugglers were illegally cutting trees, remained unhurt in the firing,” Saeed Wazir, the sub-divisional forest officer told reporters in Oghi on Tuesday.

He said that forest guards had intercepted the timber smugglers in the Shergar forests range but they put up the resistance and opened fire on them. “We have moved an application with the police for the registration of FIR against the timber smugglers,” said Wazir. He said that illegally cut beams were seized and shifted to range offices.

“We have been vigilantly monitoring activities of the timber smugglers,” said Wazir. He said that lists of timber smugglers were also submitted to the police. The sub-divisional officer said that timber smugglers were using mules in the alpine forests but because of the effective patrolling their mobility was restricted.