Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday ordered the revocation of legal permission to keep big cats across the province following back-to-back pet lion attacks in Lahore that left two children seriously injured.
Last week, a pet lion attacked eight-year-old Wajid Ali in Lahore’s Sabzazar area, severing his arm due to what police described as negligence and improper enclosure arrangements.
Doctors later amputated the arm to save the child’s life. Authorities said the owner attempted to conceal the incident by falsely claiming the injury resulted from a machine accident.
In a separate incident, a pet lioness attacked an eight-year-old girl in Lahore’s Bhekewal Pind area while being illegally transported in an auto-rickshaw.
The animal reportedly became agitated, broke free, and injured the child.
In response, the chief minister ordered an immediate ban on keeping pet lions and other big cats in Punjab. She also directed authorities to provide Wajid Ali with a modern bionic arm.
The Punjab government said officials have seized 59 big cats from various parts of the province and arrested 10 individuals for violating standard operating procedures related to dangerous animals.
Meanwhile, a local judicial magistrate sent seven suspects, including breeder Fayaz alias Faizi, to judicial remand for keeping dangerous animals in residential areas.
Police told the court that further physical custody was not required, and the magistrate ordered the suspects to be produced again after completion of the remand period.
Authorities say strict enforcement will continue to prevent such incidents and ensure public safety.
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