LAHORE: Five people were arrested by Sheikhupura police on Thursday on the direction of the additional chief secretary on charges of illegally cutting thousands of trees from a reserve forest near Choohang.

The direction was given during a meeting of a special committee constituted to probe the allegation of stealing of the trees.

The meeting was told that the over 3,000-acre forest had hundreds of thousands of trees. The mines department had granted a two-year lease for excavating sand and mud from the forest but the contractor allegedly created a 35ft deep swamp which was filled with stagnant water. This he did allegedly in connivance with forest guards.-Staff Reporter