RAWALPINDI: A lion entered a house in the PWD area of Rawalpindi and attacked a man, leaving him seriously injured.
Wildlife officials said the man was hurt during the attack, but their teams successfully captured the lion.
Authorities confirmed that the lion had escaped from a nearby zoo and entered the residential area. Officials added that the same lion had previously entered homes in Scheme-3.
Earlier Incident in Lahore:
In a similar incident in July 2025, a lion escaped from a farmhouse in Johar Town, Lahore, and attacked residents, injuring three people, including two children. The injured were identified as 5-year-old Azan, 7-year-old Zoya, and 20-year-old Samina, who were rushed to Jinnah Hospital. Both children were reported in critical condition.
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The Punjab Wildlife Department confirmed that the lion at the farmhouse was kept illegally. Its owner, Malik Azam, was arrested, and a case was filed by the head of the affected family, Muhammad Qaiser. The lion was captured and moved to a safe location.
Following this and other incidents, the Punjab Wildlife Department has imposed a complete ban on keeping pet lions in the province.
DG Wildlife, Mubeen Ilahi, said that previously licensed individuals were allowed to keep lions under strict conditions, but now no private citizen will be allowed to keep lions. Only lions in safari parks in government or private housing societies will be permitted.
DG Wildlife emphasized that protecting citizens’ lives and property is the top priority, and anyone keeping dangerous animals illegally will face strict legal action. He also confirmed that Punjab currently has 513 pet lions.
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