LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has issued a directive to tackle the issue of illegal wildlife possession in the province, terming it a clear violation of the relevant Wildlife Laws.
She ordered launching a combing operation to identify and rescue any illegally possessed wild animals, as protected under Schedule III of the Act within the next 10 days.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb noted that various species of birds and animals were categorised as protected animals under Schedule III of the Punjab Wildlife Act, 1974.
Consequently, the possession of these protected birds like whistling teal, swans, cranes, bustards, etc., or mammals such as black bears, leopards, hill foxes, hog dear, etc. as mentioned in Schedule III of the Act is illegal.
Recently, Marriyum added, multiple reports of such unlawful activities had been received.
Therefore, all deputy directors (Wildlife) should be directed to take the following actions:
a) Launch a combing operation to identify and rescue any illegally possessed wild animals as protected under Schedule III of the Act within the next 10 days in their respective jurisdictions.
b) Initiate legal proceedings against offenders under the purview of the Punjab Wildlife Act, 1974, and any other applicable laws.
c) Launch a comprehensive awareness campaign utilising various platforms, including social media, announcements, and digital graphics, to eradicate cruel acts against animals.
Particular emphasis should be placed on raising awareness about the issues of illegal wildlife possession and violence.
The campaign must also publicise the punishments associated with these offences to deter potential offenders.
To effectively eliminate this menace in Punjab, she stressed, Wildlife officers must ensure stringent enforcement of the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974, subsequent relevant rules, and guidelines.
Immediate action must be taken to address the issue, she added.
In this regard, deputy directors (Wildlife) must be held personally accountable for any future occurrences of illegal wildlife possession within their respective jurisdictions after lapse of 10 days.