Lahore: Forest Department continues its crackdown against the timber mafia involved in wood smuggling and within the last 24 hours, staff from Murree Forest Division and North Forest Division successfully thwarted attempts to smuggle timber from Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the authorities seized two Mazda trucks, one Toyota Hilux, and one Shehzore vehicle loaded with timber. The culprits were arrested on the spot, and legal action was taken under the Forest Act of 1927, imposing heavy fines on the confiscated timber and vehicles, said by a spokesperson of the department.
Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb emphasized that all possible measures were being taken to protect forests. She stated that illegal logging and timber smuggling not only harm natural resources but also pose a significant threat to environmental balance. She added that timber mafia halts and hinders national development and assured that no leniency will be shown in thi
s regard.
Marriyum Aurangzeb appealed to the public to immediately report any incident of illegal logging or smuggling to the relevant authorities. She stressed that protecting the country’s resources is a shared responsibility of all citizens.
Under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the government is promoting eco-friendly policies, accelerating afforestation campaigns alongside forest conservation efforts to make Pakistan a greener and more prosperous country.
The Senior Provincial Minister further assured that the ongoing crackdown was being conducted with complete transparency, and legal proceedings against the arrested individuals are underway. Special teams are also being formed to root out smuggling networks. Marriyum Aurangzeb reiterated her support for continuing crackdown, vowing that stricter measures will be implemented to ensure its success.