MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) police have finally registered a case against a man accused of illegally capturing and selling wildlife following the intervention of Pakistan`s wildlife ambassador and former senator Jamal Khan Leghari.

The case against Mohammad Irfan Mughal was lodged at Saddar police station of Muzaffarabad under the AJK Wildlife Act 2014 on Thursday.

According to an application submitted by a Wildlife Department official on March 21, Mr Mughal, a resident of Dhanni Mera Kalsi village on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad, currently residing in the capital`s Bela Noor Shah neighbourhood, had illegally captured and transported a leopard cat mistaking it for a leopard cub from Muzaffarabad to Islamabad on March 13 with the intent to sell it.

In Islamabad, the suspect unknowingly approached officials of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), who posed as buyers to uncover the illegal trade network.

Initially, Mr Mughal demanded Rs400,000 for the animal. However, when the officials pointed out that it was a leopard cat rather than a leopard cub, negotiations ensued, and the price was ultimately settled at Rs100,000.

The suspect accepted Rs30,000 as an advance and handed over the injured animal to the officials, believing them to be genuine buyers. According to the application, he also showed them several videos of other wild animals stored on his mobile phone, indicating his prior involvement in the illegal wildlife trade.

Following the development, the IWMB informed the AJK Wildlife Department that a veterinary examination had revealed the leopard cat to be in critical condition, unable to consume solid food, missing its canine teeth and suffering from abdominal issues, likely due to mistreatment and mishandling.

In its application to the police, the AJK Wildlife Department stressed that illegal wildlife capture, purchase, and sale were serious offenses not only in AJK but across Pakistan, and law enforcement agencies were legally bound to take action.

However, attempts to formally register an FIR against the suspectfacedhurdles.

On March 21, one of the AJK Wildlife Department officers, posing as a buyer, lured the suspect into a Muzaffarabad neighbourhood under the pretense of paying him the remaining amount. Once there, the suspect was taken into custody by Saddar police station personnel.

However, before a case could be registered, a cabinet member from Muzaffarabad allegedly intervened and secured the suspect`s release that same evening, claiming he would resolve the matter directly with the department.

Later, the police cited jurisdictional issues, further delaying legal action.

With no progress, one of the AJK Wildlife Department officials sought assistance from Mr Leghari.

According to sources, Mr Leghari approached the AJK chief secretary retired Flt-Lt Khushal Khan, urging him to ensure the case was properly handled.

Following his intervention, the FIR was finally registered on Thursday.