13th July 2023 at 3 pm pulled up for Namaz break on road from Umbeyla Pass at Hotel Bagh – e-Jabran at Surkawai Tehsil Rustam District Mardan.
Unfortunately my car gave up to restart and I had no way but wait for the mechanic. To kill time I started discussing the flora and fauna of the area. The hotel owner namely Muslim Shah Bacha resident of Rustam informed me about the mysterious disappearance of various species of birds from the area.
I tried to probe as what could be the factor as I suspected over hunting to be the reason but he disagreed citing the reasons that even the avian species not considered game birds are missing. He named a few common birds whose sighting was a common sight is no more to be seen.
As a local and ordinary citizens he questioned me that why was I questioning him when there exists a full fledged wild life department who draw free salaries and are hardly seen performing their official duty to protect what may look as ordinary birds to us but may be exotic and rare species. He laughed off saying when humans life has no value in the country who cares for the bird or their right to live a free life in a country that claims to be free but where not even birds are either free or safe. This put me in shame as to what face will we show to the Creator who blessed us with freedom but we failed him in providing freedom to the species that are born free and live free around the world.