MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department has seized a cache of illegally stored timber during an anti-smuggling operation carried out in the Agror Forest Sub-Division of the Agror Tanawal Forest Division, officials said.
The operation was conducted on the special directives of the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as part of the province-wide campaign against illegal timber smuggling.
Acting on confidential information, forest officials raided the site and recovered a quantity of illegally stored kail logs and timber scants that had allegedly been hidden for smuggling purposes.
The confiscated timber has been taken into official custody, and legal proceedings have been initiated against those involved under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Ordinance, 2002. Authorities said further investigations are underway to identify and bring all members of the alleged smuggling network to justice.
The Forest Department reiterated that forests are a national asset and emphasized that a zero-tolerance policy will continue against individuals involved in the illegal felling, storage and smuggling of timber.
Officials said anti-smuggling operations would continue across the province to protect forest resources and curb environmental crimes.
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