MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department has launched legal action after uncovering the illegal felling of valuable trees in the Dabba Para Guzara Forest of the Shergarh Forest Sub-Division in Mansehra.
According to the department, the operation was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to protect forest resources under the provincial government’s green forest conservation vision. A special inspection team, working under the directions of the Chief Conservator of Forests, Northern Forest Region-II Abbottabad, and the Conservator of Forests, Upper Hazara Forest Circle, conducted a detailed inspection of Compartments No. 5 and 6 of the forest.
The inspection confirmed that three valuable trees, including one kail and two chir pine trees, had been illegally cut.
Following the incident, the concerned Beat Guard prepared a damage report and submitted a request to Phulra Police Station for the registration of an FIR against the nominated suspects.
The Forest Department has also contacted the District Police Officer (DPO) Mansehra, requesting immediate registration of the case, arrest of the suspects, and speedy legal action. Officials said preliminary information suggests that some of the nominated individuals were allegedly involved in similar forest-related offences in the past.
During the initial investigation, forest officials recovered 14 kail timber beams and four chir pine logs, which were taken into official custody as case property. Two more illegally felled chir pine trees remain at the site and will also be seized as part of the legal proceedings.
The department clarified that the inspection report is preliminary and that a detailed inquiry is underway. The final investigation will determine the total environmental and financial damage, identify those responsible, and recommend further legal action.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the province’s forests, stating that illegal logging, timber smuggling, and other forest crimes will be dealt with strictly under the law to safeguard natural resources for future generations.
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