
Two black bears rescued in DG Khan
In an action against wildlife crimes, authorities rescued two black bears being kept in illegal captivity in Dera Ghazi Khan during a joint operation conducted by the Punjab Wildlife Department and local law enforcement agencies.
One suspect was arrested and formally charged under the Punjab Wildlife Act.
The operation was led by Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger DG Khan, Sidra Al-Muntaha, and Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Muzaffargarh, Abdul Razzaq, with the support of the Muzaffargarh District Police and intelligence officials.
Following the successful rescue, the case was brought before a local court, which ordered the immediate transfer of the two bears to the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB).
The court also directed that legal proceedings be initiated against the accused individual involved in the illegal captivity.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Wildlife officer shot in anti-poaching raid
A team from the Punjab Wildlife Department came under armed attack during an early morning anti-poaching operation near Toba Tharola in Rahim Yar Khan district, leaving one officer injured and damaging an official vehicle. The assailants, suspected of illegally hunting endangered wildlife, fled the scene. An FIR has been registered at Derawar police station. According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by Senior Wildlife Ranger Usman Khan, the department received a tip-off about illegal hunting activity involving the endangered Chinkara deer. Acting on the intelligence, a team led by Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Mujahid Kaleem, along with Ranger Nadir Ali, driver Amjad Farooq and other staff, reached the area around 5:50am on Monday. The team intercepted a suspicious white vehicle believed to be involved in poaching. As officials attempted to stop the car, one of the suspects, identified as Tahir, allegedly opened fire on the officers. Wildlife Officer Muhammad Safdar sustained injuries to his face and eye due to shattered glass from the vehicle's window, while the other suspects also fired shots before escaping under the cover of darkness. The FIR includes charges under Section 324 (attempted murder), Section 427 (mischief causing damage), Section 186 (obstructing public servants), and Sections 148 and 149 (rioting and unlawful assembly) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Additionally, Section 12 of the Punjab Protected Areas Act 2020 (amended 2025), which prohibits unauthorised hunting in protected zones, has also been invoked. The complainant stated that he can identify the attackers.


Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Lions confiscated after social media stunt
Two African lions have been seized by the Punjab Wildlife Department after a viral TikTok video showed them being paraded through a residential neighbourhood in Gujranwala alongside firearms. The wildlife department officials said the video featured a man identified as Luqman - known on social media as "Loha" - walking a chained lion through the Batala Sharam Singh area on the outskirts of the city. Automatic weapons were also seen in the footage, prompting fears of both a potential animal attack and a threat to public safety. Following the video's circulation online, Deputy Director Wildlife Rangers Gujranwala Region Sheikh Zahid Iqbal ordered immediate action. Senior Wildlife Ranger Muhammad Umair led the investigation, tracing the incident to a private farmhouse where two African lions were being kept without a license or any legal documentation. "No permits or registrations had been submitted to the department, as required under the Punjab Wildlife Act," said Ranger Umair. A formal case has been registered against a man named Muhammad Akram, believed to be connected to the illegal possession. However, Luqman, the individual seen in the video, is still at large. Under the amended Punjab Wildlife Act of 1974 - revised in 2025 - the private keeping and public display of big cats in residential areas is strictly prohibited. The act also criminalizes sharing social media content that features wildlife in ways that may endanger the animals or the public. Officials emphasised that the lions have now been transferred to a certified wildlife breeding facility, and legal proceedings are underway. "This is not just a violation of animal welfare lawsit's a public safety issue," said a spokesperson for the Wildlife Department. "No one is above the law, and using wild animals for online fame will not be tolerated."


Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Two lions seized in Gujranwala after man's TikTok stunt prompts outrage
Listen to article The Punjab Wildlife Department siezed on Monday two lions that were being kept illegally by a resident in Gujranwala. A case has been registered under the Wildlife Act, and the animals have been seized. A video went viral on social media showing a man, identified as Luqman, carrying firearms and parading a lion on a leash through a residential neighbourhood. The footage caused panic among local residents, who feared the lion might attack someone. On the instructions of Wildlife Deputy Director Sheikh Zahid Iqbal, Senior Wildlife Ranger Muhammad Umair was tasked with locating the suspect and taking appropriate action. A raid was carried out at a farmhouse in the Batala Sharam Singh area, where the two lions were found being kept illegally. According to Ranger Umair, the suspect had neither declared the animals to the authorities nor obtained any licence for their possession. A case has also been filed under the Wildlife Act against another individual, Muhammad Akram, who was present at the farmhouse. However, Luqman, the man featured in the viral TikTok video, has not yet been arrested. It is important to note that under the Punjab Wildlife Act of 1974, as amended in 2025, keeping or displaying big cats in urban areas is a criminal offence. Punjab wildlife authorities have banned the keeping of big cats in populated zones and has also prohibited the sharing of dangerous videos involving big cats on social media.