Two held for trying to smuggle timber out of Chitral
CHITRAL: A forest department official here claimed to have arrested two persons on the charge of trying to smuggle a truckload of timber (deodar) worth Rs1.5 million out of the district.
Divisional Forest Officer Umair Nawaz said on a tip-off his staff raided a filling station at Denin where the arrested persons had parked the truck loaded with the timer.
Another vehicle carrying potatoes was also there and according to Mr Nawaz the potatoes were also to be loaded on the same truck to conceal the timber. The arrested men were identified as Aurangzeb, son of Badshah Zadar, resident of Qulandai, Dir, and Sadruddin, son of Shamsuddin, Denin.
The official said the suspects were produced before the forest magistrate who sent them on a judicial remand. Further investigation is underway, he added.–GH Farooqui
There is no proper regulation for timber and wood in Chitral area especially. The timely orders are passed often by district administration and with the lapse of time those orders fade away slowly in an un-noticed manner. Every district government heads when change, the policy renews. For the time the firewood of Pine tree family has been banned for the town itself which has brought out a trouble for minor business cooking and home cooking users and rough furniture makers who buy the wood by weighing.
How did nawaz know,that the potatoes were to be loaded on the same truck to conceal timber ? Sounds like Mr. Nawaz is part of the game .. Forest department employees very often try to play such dirty games.