Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has taken serious notice of the illegal cutting of trees in the Lal Suhanra National Park in Bahawalpur. This action comes in response to complaints and evidence of the illegal felling of more than six dozen precious and rare trees. On her direction, 11 officials including a grade-20 chief conservator have been transferred to their departments. A team from the anti-corruption establishment, as well as the secretary forests, have reached Bahawalpur to probe the matter. The investigative team will hold an inquiry into the types of trees, their total numbers, the individuals involved and other factors to curb this menace in future. In a statement released Friday, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb made it clear that strict legal action would be taken against officials involved in the illegal cutting, sale in the forest. According to the notifications of the Punjab government, the services of Chief Conservator Khalid Mahmood have been surrendered to his parent department. Similarly, the services of grade-19 Conservator Mansoor Ahmad and grade-18 DFO Nadeem Ashraf have also been surrendered to their administrative department. Among the officials transferred to Lahore are RFO Hamad Raza of Grade 16.
