A magistrate has refused bail for five men allegedly caught cutting mangrove trees at Sandspit Beach in Karachi, Pakistan, reported The News International.
Judicial Magistrate Inaamullah Phulpoto rejected the men's request for release on June 13 after examining the case details. The group was taken into custody on June 4 when a forest officer alerted local police.
The magistrate's ruling emphasized the importance of mangroves in local areas. When police found the men, they had allegedly cut nearly 4,000 pounds of wood using an electric saw. Cutting these trees harms nature's ability to protect coasts during storms and deprives fish and other aquatic animals of their homes.
Mangroves trap carbon that would otherwise warm our air. Their thick roots clean water and create places where fish grow, providing food and jobs to people living nearby. When you keep mangroves healthy, you help the planet and local towns.
The men's lawyer told the court they were only fishermen taking a break, but the magistrate did not appear to be persuaded by this story.
"The environmental implications of the offence cannot be ignored. Mangroves are a national asset, and their destruction has long-term consequences for coastal resilience, marine life, and climate regulation," the magistrate wrote in the decision.
This court case shows Pakistan taking stronger action against people who harm natural ecosystems. The men now face legal charges under regular criminal law and special forest protection rules, part of a broader effort to keep coastal plants safe.
"In view of the seriousness of the offence, the environmental harm caused, the recovery of stolen property, and the potential for the accused to abscond or tamper with evidence, I am of the considered view that the applicants have not made out a case for the grant of bail at this stage," the magistrate stated in his written ruling.
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