Lion strolling along Sharae Faisal panics commuters

KARACHI: A lion, apparently female, was spotted in Karachi on Tuesday evening as it was strolling along Sharae Faisal, spreading panic among commuters on one of the busiest thoroughfares of the city.

A video clip circulating on social media that was also aired on electronic media showed the lion walking down Sharae Faisal, with the traffic blocked near the Aisha Bawany Academy and long queues of vehicles forming on the main artery to catch the lion.

According to some reports, the lion had also attempted to attack someone, but they remained unhurt. After strolling along the road, the lion reached the parking lot of a building.

Police, wildlife department officials and volunteers from different organisations also arrived on the scene. The onlookers who had rushed to see the animal were asked to keep a safe distance and stay away.

After hectic efforts that lasted around two hours, a team of the wildlife department managed to cage the lion and then took it away from the site.

Police said the lion had got out of a vehicle while it was being transported. Saddar SHO Wilayat Shah said that since the wildlife laws forbid it to keep lions in residential areas, the animal has been handed over to the wildlife department.

The officer said the police have taken the animal’s owner, namely Shams, the driver of the pickup being used to transport the lion, and his helper into custody, adding that a case is being registered against them.

“The lion had been ill for three days, and it had not eaten anything,” Shams said in his initial police statement. He said the driver and helper were taking the lion in the pickup truck to the doctor, while he himself was at home. Wildlife official Mukhtiar Soomro said their team was sent to catch the lion after they found out about it through the media. “We have successfully restrained and placed the lion in a cage. It’s an elderly lion. There are restrictions on keeping it in residential areas. A heavy fine may be imposed on its owner.”