New Delhi: Pakistanis don’t have to go to a zoo or a wild sanctuary to see a lion. They just need to go to Karachi. A lion taking a leisurely stroll down one of the busiest roads in Shahrah-e-Faisal caused an uproar on Tuesday evening.
The lion seemed quite oblivious to the panic and chaos it was causing among pedestrians and motorists—at one point it chased a passerby, or at least it looked that way on camera.
Lion roaming the streets of Karachi 📍 Pakistan across the Christian Cemetery on main Sh.e.Faisal
Video credit : WhatsApp forward pic.twitter.com/Bb0xJrkbhG
— Norbert Almeida “bruh” ⭕️ (@norbalm) August 29, 2023
There was a massive traffic jam as media vehicles arrived to cover the incident while crowds gathered to try and catch a glimpse of the big cat, said Dawn in a report.
According to the police, the lion was on its way to the veterinarian when it escaped near Ayesha Bawani College. According to some reports it took refuge under a car, but others said that it was finally captured in the basement of a nearby building after two hours.
“Our teams rushed here immediately. Praise be to Allah, it is with us safely and no one is in danger now,” wildlife inspector Mukhtyar Soomro told Reuters at the site of the lion’s capture. It was relocated to the wildlife department’s compound, while its owner Shamsul Haq who lives in the city has been arrested.
He told the police that he was taking it to the doctor because it had stopped eating three days ago, and was worried that the animal was ill.
Commentators on social media had a field day as the footage went viral.
“Donkeys in the government, Lions on the street, Just another day in Karachi,” said one X (formerly Twitter) user.
Others were amused by the casual conversation among residents in the background of the video. Many called it a ‘peak’ Karachi moment.
Gotta love the casual karachi convo as a freaking LION roams the streets https://t.co/7gj8G2dyXK
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) August 29, 2023
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Illegal animal trade
The incident highlights the thriving black market and the illegal trade of endangered species in Pakistan. It’s not uncommon for wealthy businessmen to run private zoos. And this is not the first time a lion has been spotted on the streets of Karachi. In 2017, a man was caught taking his pet lion for a spin in his pick-up. The animal which had a leash and collar was calmly sitting in the back of the truck as his owner took it to the market area.
Meanwhile, World Wildlife Federation (WWF) Pakistan has demanded an investigation into this matter.
“The recent lion sighting in Karachi is alarming and highlights the disturbing trend of exotic animals as pets and strongly condemns this practice and demands an investigation into the lion’s origin,” WWF posted on its social media.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)