CDA officials arrested for catching cops cutting trees

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) environment team caught the police officials while stealing wood after cutting trees at 6th Avenue but the officials rather than of being ashamed, arrested the CDA officials and shifted them to Secretariat Police Station and threatened them to declare terrorists.

But in the end, ironically, high-ups of CDA sought apology at police station and police released the CDA officials with warning that ‘never interfere in matters of federal police again’.

According to sources, CDA environment team were astonished to know that trees at green belt of 6th Avenue were being cut by unknown persons continuously. They said so far 18 trees had been cut down and allegedly shifted to Rawalpindi.

So to ascertain, as to who is the offender, it was decided to check the spot by surprise visits as by deputing the officials to watch out timber mafia, it will start cutting trees from some where else.

On Tuesday, late night, Environment Wing’s Forest Guard Muhammad Afzal and gardener Imtiaz reached the spot, where Sub Inspector (SI) Ghulam Abbas along with some other persons (one of them was in police uniform and some without uniform) were cutting a 54 to 55 inch tree. SI Gulam Abbas was also in uniform and was guarding them.

While Afzal and Imtiaz caught them red handed, they got puzzled but and to a question as why they were cutting trees, they replied, “We are cutting the woods to torch fire. To this Afzal told them if they wanted to torch fire than they could cut dry branches of the tree why to cut a 55 inches trunk, (Circumference that is used for the furniture).

SI Abbas called the police officials, deputed at a check post, located near a five star hotel and instructed them to arrest both CDA officials and shift them to Secretariat Police Station. Duty officer of Secretariat Police SI Sultan also threatened CDA officials. Police also tortured them critically.

After the arrest, the prisoners called on the CDA Forester Ijazul Hasan. As he arrived the police station he was angry at police because the conditions of CDA officials was miserable. Soon, Red Zone in charge inspector Sidique reached the scene. He sought apology from Hasan. During this course of game, Muharrar Khalid Tanoli told Hasan that the arrested officials are allowed to go but ‘they should not interfere in the matters of the police in future”.