LAKKI MARWAT, Oct 27: Office-bearers of different political parties and social organisations have demanded of the provincial government to allocate funds for setting up a zoo in the district.

Talking to Dawn here on Sunday, they said setting up peasantry and zoo would help promote wildlife in the district as two rivers -Kurrum and Gambila crisscrossed the region, providing natural habitat for wildlife.

`Marwat area has lot of water birds and other wild animals besides forests on both sides of the rivers,` they said.

The activists said the district had global significance for wildlife as it was situated on the international migratory bird route. `Migratory birds stay on both sides of Kurrum and Gambila rivers during their journey from Siberia to the destinations in Pakistan, they said.

They appreciated the wildlife department for protection of water birds and other wildlife species by curbing illegal hunting and creating awareness among local communities about the importance of wildlife.

They said that the wildlife department had established a crane conservation centre on the bank of Kurrum river along the Indus Highway as part of efforts to sensitise communities towards wildlife and prevent water birds from being hunted.

They said that the provincial government should pay special heed to further boost wildlife sector in the district and enable the officials to perform their job more effectively.

`The government should also provide recreational facilities to the residents by setting up a zoo in the district,` they added.

OFFICE-BEARERS ELECTED: Gul Malook Khan Wazir and Jamil Ahmad Khan Haqdad Abadi were on Sunday unanimously elected as president and general secretary of Malgari Ustazan, district chapter.

A meeting to this effect was held in Naurang town attended by a large number of teachers.

The meeting also nominated Noor Jalal Khan as senior vice president, Mamraiz Khan and Inayatur Rehman vice presidents, Nader Khan chief organiser, Mohammad Afzal additional general secretary, Ameer Jan joint secretary, Jamshed Khan coordination secretary, Javed Khan finance secretary and Rustam Khan as press secretary, respectively.

The participants nominated Haji Abdul Khalil Qurashi as president of Lakki tehsil chapter and Syed Rehman president of Naurang tehsil chapter.