Wildlife dept challans Rabi Pirzada for keeping exotic animals

LAHORE: The Punjab Wildlife Protection and Parks Department has initiated legal action against singer-turned-host Rabi Pirzada for keeping exotic animals including an alligator, four pythons and snakes as pets at her beauty salon in the city.

On the directions of Punjab Wildlife Protection and Parks Director General Lieutenant (retd) Sohail Ashraf, Deputy Director Lahore Region and District Wildlife Officer Lahore Tanvir Ahmed Janjua, along with other team members launched the legal proceedings against Rabi Pirzada. Rabi’s pictures and videos on the social media as well as their telecast by a private channel prompted the Wildlife Department to take legal action against her. The department has presented a challan against Rabi Pirzada in a local court.

DG Wildlife Protection Sohail Ashraf told the correspondent that keeping exotic animals including alligators, pythons, snakes and other reptiles as pets was a violation of the Wildlife Act. These animals fall in the Third Schedule of the Wildlife Act, and no one could be issued a licence for keeping them as pets. He said the violator of the Act could face up to two-year imprisonment.

He said Rabi Pirzada had regularly been uploading videos and photographs of these animals, which promoted an action against her. He said Rabi would have to hand over all these animals to the Wildlife Protection Department.