ISLAMABAD: A pet lion escaped from a house in Pakistan’s commercial hub of Karachi and was seen roaming the streets on Tuesday, sparking fears among residents of the locality.
The animal was seen taking a stroll in the streets near the Aisha Bawany Girls College off Sharae Faisal, one of Karachi’s main throughfares.
In one of the videos shared on Twitter, the big cat suddenly races and charges on a man, but fortunately walks away after he falls to the ground.
The wild animal was captured by a team of Sindh Wildlife officials a couple of hours after the police cordoned off the vicinity.
“The animal has been captured and an action will be taken against the owner,” Sindh Wildlife Department Conservator Javed Mahar told Arab News over the phone.
He confirmed that this was an incident of “illegal possession” of wild animals as provincial authorities had prohibited keeping carnivorous animals within urban centers.
Pakistan last year banned the import of exotic mammals after large numbers were brought in or bred in recent years, causing problems for wildlife officials.
Big cats are seen as symbols of wealth and power in the country.
In February this year, a pet leopard escaped from a house in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad and roamed the streets for hours before being shot with a sedation dart.
In videos posted online of the six-hour jaunt, the young male cat was seen slipping between cars before knocking down a man and leaping over a garden fence.
