Muzaffargarh: In a serious incident highlighting the menace of timber smuggling, officials of the Forest Department came under attack while carrying out an operation against illegal timber theft in the outskirts of Chowk Azam.
The incident occurred at Gola Adda, Chak No. 394/TDA, where a criminal case has been registered against the accused.
According to Block Officer Muhammad Naveed Nawaz, a Forest Department team raided the area after receiving information about the theft of government-owned timber. During the raid, around eight armed members of the timber mafia stormed the officials, creating panic and forcibly obstructing them from performing their official duties.
The attackers allegedly snatched a mobile phone and vehicle keys from the departmental staff and escaped in a pickup truck loaded with more than 40 maunds of stolen government timber. While fleeing, the armed suspects issued threats to kill the officials, adding to the seriousness of the offence.
The accused also used abusive language and physically harassed Block Officer Muhammad Naveed Nawaz, Forest Guard Muhammad Waqas, Muhammad Ramzan, and a beldar.
A case has been registered against nominated suspects Ashiq Khan, Darak Khan, Kaleem Khan, and other unidentified individuals.
Block Officer Naveed Nawaz reaffirmed that the Forest Department would not compromise on the protection of forest resources and vowed to take strict legal action against all those involved in the attack and illegal timber trade.
Investigations were in progress, and raids were being conducted to arrest the accused, police sources said.