Court orders Safari Park transfer for lion after shocking attack on children in Lahore

ISLAMABAD: A Model Town court has ordered that a lion involved in a brutal attack on three people, including two children, be shifted to a safari park, following a high-profile incident that shook residents of the Shah Di Khui area.

Judicial Magistrate Hassan Sarfaraz Cheema issued the written order after reviewing case records and a request from the Wildlife Department, which had taken custody of the African lion from its owners. The lion was seized during a late-night operation on July 3.

The Wildlife Inspector told the court that the lion was being illegally kept by the accused, and requested it be relocated to a controlled and safe environment. After hearing the plea, the court approved the transfer to the safari park to ensure public safety and proper animal care.

Earlier, Johar Town police had arrested the lion’s owners, identified as Malik Azam Shani, Malik Ghulam Murtaza, and Malik Behram, after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered under sections of the Wildlife Act, including attempted murder and failure to control a wild animal.

The incident occurred on Thursday night, when the lion, taken out for a walk by its owners, went on a rampage and attacked a woman and two children. All three were seriously injured and taken to Jinnah Hospital for treatment.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran took swift notice of the incident, dispatching a wildlife team to apprehend the animal and ensure no further harm to the public.

The case has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for stricter enforcement of wildlife laws, especially concerning the illegal domestication of exotic and dangerous animals in urban areas. NNI