RAHIM YAR KHAN: A massive fire reduced thousands of Eucalyptus and other trees to ashes, besides damaging wildlife, over 50 acres in Sungharwala forest in Abbasia Plantation Range between the Abbasia Canal and Abbasia Link Canal in Liaqatpur tehsil, some 105km from here, on Wednesday evening.

As per locals, the fire erupted in Block No 4 of the forest around 4pm and initially spread to some 10 acres, but later engulfed around 50 acres in the area.

According to a Rescue 1122 official, the firefighters, forest staff and locals faced difficulties in controlling the blaze as there were no passages in the forest.

The old Abbasia Plantation Range spreading from Channi Goth to Head Qasimwala near Feroza town of Liaqatpur tehsil had different types of trees, which were damaged by the fire, along with the wildlife in the forest.

According to unconfirmed reports, the fire erupted when some honey collectors burnt firewood to create smoke to disperse bees, and later spread in the forest. The fire was finally brought under control on early Thursday morning.

Some locals alleged that almost half of the forestry department staff serves at the farm of an influential government officer, instead of performing theirduties in the forest.

KIDNAPPED: Katcha area dacoits allegedly kidnapped three men and injured two others for offering resistance at Chak No 20 near Chowk Shahbazpur, some 22kms from here, in Sadiqabad tehsil on Wednesday night.

As per locals, three men -- Usman, Tariq Razzaq and Saeed Ahmed Dhandoo -- were asleep in their house at Chak No 20 when some unidentified dacoits arrived there, and tied them up with ropes.

Meanwhile, two men, Imran and Ibrahim, reached the spot on a motorcycle.

As the dacoits attempted to kidnap them as well, they offered resistance.

At this the dacoits opened fire, leaving both motorcyclists injured. Later, the dacoits took Usman, Tariq and Saeed towards Katcha area, the locals said.Police sources say that no dacoits gang has so far claimed the responsibility forthe kidnapping, nor anyone contacted the victims’ families for ransom.

ARRESTED: A Wildlife team arrested four shopkeepers involved in illegal sale of wild birds at Khnapur.

As per wildlife department assistant director, a team found the suspects Imran, Waheed Murad, Abdul Razzaq and Mushtaq Ahmed selling parrots of different rare varieties at their shops in Model Town Link Road and Doaba Pully in Khanpur.

The officials got the suspects arrested and recovered 51 birds, including rose-ringed parakeets, Alexandrina parakeets and Australian parrots from their shops.

The suspects were sent to jail on 14-day remand by a court, while the recovered birds were shifted to Wildlife Park, Rahim Yar Khan.

MAN INJURED: Police have arrested two suspects for injuring a man allegedly for abducting a woman of their family.

As per police, one Ibrahim developed relations with a woman and later “abducted” her and took her to Mouza Rajanpur Kalan in Islamgarh police limits.

Meanwhile, two relatives of the woman reached the village and attacked Ibrahim, leaving him injured.

The police registered a case against the two attackers and arrested them.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2025