In a sweeping crackdown across Punjab, authorities have seized 13 illegally kept lions and arrested five individuals in connection with violations of wildlife regulations.
The action followed a recent incident in Lahore where a lion escaped from a farmhouse and injured a woman and children after jumping over a boundary wall.
The Punjab government launched the operation after Thursday’s alarming incident. According to official updates, inspections were carried out at 22 locations on Saturday as part of the enforcement drive.
In Lahore alone, four lions were confiscated, and the premises housing them was sealed. FIRs have been registered against three individuals. In Gujranwala, authorities seized four lions, while in Faisalabad, two lions were taken into custody and the enclosure sealed. Additionally, three lions were recovered in Multan, with one person arrested and charged.
Punjab’s Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb emphasised that the illegal trade and private keeping of wild animals was intolerable and posed serious risks to public safety. “There will be no compromise on public security,” she said, urging citizens to report any illegal possession of lions by calling the helpline 1107