ISLAMABAD:
Kohsar police on Saturday registered a case after a video of a rare deer being slaughtered in the Margalla Hills went viral on social media, sparking public outrage.
The suspects had been identified and nominated in the case. They may face up to three years in prison and a fine of Rs1 million.
The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Ayesha Shehzad, Assistant Director of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB).
According to the FIR, the individuals seen in the viral video have been identified as Bashir Abbasi, Zain Abbasi, and other unidentified persons, all residents of Gokeena village.
Their actions are in clear violation of the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act. The complaint also requests police assistance in recovering the remains of the animal, including its hide and skull.
Under the sections applied in the FIR, the accused may face up to one year in jail and a fine of Rs1m, while Section 379 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which has also been invoked, carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
According to sources, police have begun searching for the suspects following the registration of the case.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Malik, strongly condemned the reported killing of a deer in the Margalla Hills National.
Terming the act “cruel” and “unacceptable,” the minister ordered an immediate inquiry and directed relevant authorities to submit a report on the incident without delay.
