Local stalking group prepared against black pheasant poachers in Salt Range

Lahore: Local stalking groups have formed against poachers to stop hunting black pheasants in the Salt Range.

Local people in various areas of the Salt Range have come out against the black pheasant poachers. The local people have warned that they will not allow any hunter to hunt wildlife especially black pheasant in their area.

Pheasant hunting has been permitted by Punjab Wild on every Sunday from December 1 to January 31. Hundreds of hunters from different cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Rawalpindi visit Salt Range on Sundays for pheasant hunting.

On December 3 and 10, hunters hunted pheasants wildly in these areas. Deputy Director of Punjab Wildlife Salt Range, Zahid Ali, has taken vigorous action against owls violating the rules, but local people have also come forward.

In village Bhatti Gujjar of Klarkahar tehsil of Chakwal, the local people have formed a stick-carrying group. The group of youths had stopped many hunters from hunting in their area last Sunday, but now different villages are trying to stop the hunting of pheasants and wild animals. Through announcements in mosques, the youth have been informed that hunters coming to Chakwal from Lahore and Islamabad via the highway will be stopped on Sunday, December 17.

The Bhatti community, the Gujjar community and the Abir Bheri living in these areas have come together and announced a ban on pheasant hunting and have made it clear that they will not allow anyone to hunt on the lands.

It should be noted that last Sunday, the local communities in the 4,000 kanal agricultural area and forests in the Salt Range gave safe shelter to the pheasants and did not allow the hunters to hunt. Local people have demanded from Punjab Wildlife, DC Chakwal and other authorities to ban all kinds of hunting in Salt Range.