A man named Azeem sustained serious injuries while attempting to film a video near a caged pet lion at a breeding farm in Lahore’s Sabzazar area. The lion attacked him, causing severe wounds to his face, shoulder, and arm, and he was immediately taken to Jinnah Hospital for emergency treatment.
The breeding farm, owned by Mian Umar Dola, has come under scrutiny following the incident. The Punjab Wildlife Department responded by initiating legal action against the owner and ordering the cancellation of the farm’s license. These measures are part of broader efforts to enforce stricter safety regulations for wildlife management.
Read more: Bahawalpur Zoo Closed After Fatal Lion Attack
The attack has brought attention to recent amendments to the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974, approved by the Punjab cabinet.
These changes include a ban on keeping big cats in urban areas, restrictions on filming TikTok or other videos with them, and a mandatory Rs50,000 license fee per lion.
Additionally, big cats have been added to Schedule 2 of the Act for stricter oversight, although a formal gazette notification is still pending.
This incident highlights the dangers of housing big cats in residential or urban settings without proper precautions.
