SIALKOT: Unidentified armed men gunned down two officers of Punjab Wildlife on Sunday and escaped the scene.
Police said that poachers killed Inspector Manzoor and Constable Mushtaq (from the special squad in Gujranwala region) with automated weapons near Sialkot.
WWF Pakistan said that the two officers were killed while intercepting an attempt of illegal poaching of migratory birds.
The WWF-Pakistan strongly condemned the killing of the two officers, saying that it stands with the Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department and the families of martyrs in solidarity and strongly condemns this inhumane act. It also urged stringent punishments against those found culpable and assured its full support.
WWF Pakistan CEO Hammad Naqi Khan, while commenting on the challenges faced by the field staff of the wildlife and forests departments, said that “they work tirelessly to protect endangered and iconic wildlife species and their habitats”, most of which are in demand in the illegal wildlife trade market.
These unsung conservation heroes regularly pay with their lives while trying to keep our natural treasures safe, he added.