CHITRAL: The officials of the wildlife department were equipped with necessary skills and capabilities during a three-day training session on `countering and investigating poaching of wildlife`, which concluded here on Saturday.

Organised by Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) with the financial assistance of the UK through Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, the training was aimed at providing them with the technical know-how to handle poaching cases, investigate wildlife crime scenes and respond effectively to wildlife emergencies ensuring conservation efforts on par with international standards.

The closing ceremony was attended by divisional forest officers Farooq Nabi (wildlife), Rizwanullah (Chitral Gol National Park), officers of fisheries department and conservation activists of civil society.

The regional programme manager of SLF Jamiullah Sherazihighlighted the longstanding collaboration between SLF and the wildlife department in Chitral and the various interventions that have been undertaken in the region to promote wildlife conservation.

`The training in Chitral is part of a broader initiative by SLF and its partners to strengthen wildlife protectionand conservation efforts, focusing on tackling poaching and other wildlife crimes effectively through capacity building and providing the necessary tools for wildlife enforcement,` he added.

Dr Shoaib Hameed, senior programme manager and master trainer, briefed the participants on the topics covered during the three-day training emphasising the significance of having a structured approach to crime scene investigation, which helped collect evidence in a scientifically sound manner that is admissible in court.

He said that the initiative builds upon previous training efforts, including the training of seven officials from the wildlife departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and WWF-Pakistan held last year.

Ejazur Rehman and Syed Musaddiq Ali Shah, who were among those who got training, expressed their appreciation for the practical techniques and critical insights into crime scene investigation that they gained during the course.

The training concluded with the distribution of certificates and field kits to the trainees.

In recognition of the training`s importance, two sets of crime scene investigation kits were also provided to Chitral Gol National Park and wildlife division, Chitral offices.