Punjab to exchange wild animals with Pakistani zoos

Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has decided to start exchange programme of wild lives with the zoos in Pakistan to promote the friendship campaign between India and Pakistan.
Under this unique friendship promotion programme the birds from the wildlife sanctuaries in Punjab would be sent to the sanctuaries in Pakistan and vice-versa.
An official spokesman here today said an official delegation of Forest and Wildlife Protection department would soon visit the sanctuaries situated in Pakistan to finalise the programme to bring the rare species to the sanctuaries of Punjab.
He said this resolution had been passed in a high-level meeting of State Wildlife Board presided over by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
He said the delegation would finalise the programme after holding meetings with the officials of sanctuaries situated at Lahore to initiate the process of bringing rare species of wildlife to Punjab and same from here to the sanctuaries of Pakistan.
The spokesman said for this purpose a committee had been constituted, which would be led by Forests and Wildlife Protection Minister Arunesh Shakir comprising Chairman of Forest Corporation, Secretary of Forest Department, Chief Wildlife Warden and Deputy Chief Wildlife Wardern (Retd).
Mr Shakir said with this unique exchange program of wild and rare species from the sanctuaries between Punjab and Lahore would not only enrich and strengthen the friendship between both countries but also prove a boon to preserve and nurture rear species.
He said the exchange of wild lives would take place on the basis of Exchange Value of wild lives.