Suspects booked for poaching rare Barking Deer in Islamabad

A case has been registered at Kohsar police station following the illegal killing of a barking deer in the Margalla Hills, officials said on Saturday.

The suspects named in the FIR include Bashir Abbasi and Zain Abbasi, residents of Gokina village, which is situated within the Margalla Hills area. The case was filed on the complaint of Ayesha Shehzad, assistant director of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board.

According to the complaint, the accused unlawfully slaughtered a rare species of deer known as the barking deer. Authorities have recovered the animal’s remains, including its skin and skull, as evidence.

The case was registered under sections A-4/12 and A-16 at the Kohsar police station. These sections carry penalties that may include a fine of up to Rs10 million, imprisonment for up to one year, or both. In addition, Section 379 has been invoked, which relates to theft and carries a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment.

The incident had earlier drawn the attention of Federal Minister for Climate Change, Musadik Malik, who took notice and ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter.

The minister condemned the killing, which came to light after a video showing the slaughter circulated on social media. He stressed that hunting and killing wildlife in protected areas is a grave violation of environmental laws and will not be tolerated.

Musadik Malik directed relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report at the earliest.

He further underlined the government’s commitment to protecting wildlife and ensuring strict enforcement of conservation laws across the country.