Punjab reviews big-cat ownership rules after pet lion attack in Lahore

Punjab wildlife chief says lions registered in Sheikhupura were illegally kept in Lahore, where big cats are banned

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has initiated a review of its policy on the private keeping of dangerous big cats following a recent incident in Lahore in which a pet lion attacked a young girl. During a review meeting with relevant officials, it was stressed that strict decisions must be taken to control the growing population of wild animals kept in private custody.

Punjab Chief Wildlife Ranger Mubeen Elahi said a meeting of the Captive Wildlife Management Committee has been convened for Friday, where key decisions are expected regarding the future management and population control of big cats across the province. Speaking to Express News, he said that keeping big cats in residential areas is strictly prohibited under the law.

He explained that the individuals involved in the Lahore incident had declared and registered their lions in Sheikhupura, but were illegally keeping the animals in Lahore. He added that a re-inspection drive of privately kept big cats has been launched across Lahore and other parts of Punjab.

Elahi said firm measures had become unavoidable due to the increasing number of big cats in private possession. In the first phase, authorities are considering euthanising sick and incurable big cats currently housed in zoos and wildlife parks.

He clarified that the Punjab Wildlife Act allows such action under a defined legal framework, but final approval will be sought from the Captive Wildlife Management Committee. He added that once sick animals are removed, the resulting vacant space in zoos would be used to relocate big cats recovered from illegal private custody.

According to Elahi, the recent incident has exposed weaknesses in the wildlife management system, prompting a fresh verification drive to determine whether individuals who declared ownership of big cats are keeping them at the locations originally specified.

Meanwhile, Captive Wildlife Management Committee member Badr Munir said that following legislation enacted last year, hobby breeders were given an opportunity to declare the number and gender of big cats in their possession. He said a total of 587 big cats were declared across Punjab, while 34 illegally kept animals were confiscated.

Munir added that 11 more big cats have been recovered since the Lahore incident. He said inspections of housing facilities belonging to declared big-cat owners are ongoing, and breeding licences will be issued in line with standard operating procedures.

Read More: 11 illegally kept lions recovered from Lahore’s Nawan Kot area

Wildlife officials said that keeping big cats illegally can result in fines of up to Rs5 million and imprisonment of up to seven years. They confirmed that four individuals involved in the Lahore incident have been arrested.

Separately, citizens questioned the performance of the Punjab Wildlife Department, asking why action is taken only after serious incidents occur.

A resident, Rabia Basri, said that while wildlife staff takes action against people keeping parrots and sparrows at home, those keeping lions on rooftops in residential areas are not touched unless a major incident takes place.

Another resident, Ahmed Hassan, said the department had previously claimed to have made Lahore free of big cats, but the recent incident had exposed those claims.