LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Punjab have launched a crackdown on the illegal keeping of big cats, confiscating 18 lions after one escaped from a private residence in Lahore and attacked a woman and two children.
According to provincial wildlife officials, the woman sustained scratches and bruises, while the children, aged five and seven, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following last week’s incident.
The escaped lion was being kept without a license at a private home in Lahore. It was captured and relocated to a nearby safari park, said Mubeen Elahi, Director General of Punjab’s Wildlife and Parks Department. Police later arrested the owner.
The incident has prompted intensified enforcement of wildlife regulations across the province.
“Under the new rules, no individual is allowed to keep a lion without a valid license, proper cage dimensions, and adherence to standard operating procedures,” Elahi said. Violators face up to seven years in prison.
The crackdown also saw wildlife officials raid 38 breeding facilities for lions and tigers, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals for regulatory violations. Elahi added that all such breeding farms in Punjab — where 584 lions and tigers are reportedly kept — will be inspected by the end of the week.
The popularity of exotic pets in Pakistan, especially among the wealthy elite, has been fueled by social media, where owners often showcase big cats as status symbols.
“I know many people who keep lions as pets,” said 30-year-old Qaim Ali, who admitted to previously owning a lion himself. “Most aren’t breeding them — they just want to show power and influence.” He revealed that he sold his lion after it attacked his nephew.
