DERA GHAZI KHAN, Sept 3: The Gagan Thal areas of Bewata borer military police remit in Dera Ghazi Khan have become a killing field for the migratory Demoiselle cranes.

Dawn learnt that in the last few weeks, some residents of Gagan Thal areas have set up nets to lure and catch cranes. Though the exact number of cranes poached so far is not known, the poachers, led by Samiullah Pashtoon, are doing the practice openly without any check by the Wildlife Department or the border military police which is responsible for law and order in the tribal areas. Some residents said the party had poached dozens of endangered cranes.

Cranes pass through Dera Ghazi Khan while flying from Siberia and Russian areas in mid-August.

District Wildlife Officer Naveed told Dawn his department had sought the help of border military police to halt the poaching.

A local resident, Baba Juma Khan, told Dawn there was a vast market of Demoiselle cranes in Khyber Pakhunkhwa as in some areas of Bannu cranes are given to brides as dowry.

Border Military Police Commandant Tariq Ali Basra told Dawn he had received a call from the wildlife officials regarding poaching, and he had directed the hunting party to leave the area. He said he would register a case once he received a written complaint from the department.