ISLAMABAD: A team of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board has arrested a Chinese national for allegedly illegally hunting wildlife in the Margalla Hills National Park, officials said on Tuesday.

The suspect was taken into custody during a late-night operation in the E-7 forest area after reports emerged that a wild animal had been trapped and killed, according to officials.

The IWMB said the operation was launched after information that a snare had been set in the forest a day earlier. A covert monitoring team was deployed to observe the site.

Officials stated that the suspect later arrived at night, killed the trapped animal, and packed it into a box before being arrested on the spot.

The wildlife body further alleged that the individual resisted arrest and bit a wildlife officer during the operation, injuring him.

A case has been registered at Kohsar Police Station under the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act 2024, and legal proceedings are underway.

Authorities said the suspect is accused of hunting multiple wild animals, including a rare deer species, in violation of conservation laws.

The Margalla Hills National Park, located on the outskirts of Islamabad, is a protected area known for its biodiversity and ecological significance.