KARACHI: Residents of Karachi's Gulshan-e-Hadeed area were sent into a frenzy Tuesday night after spotting six lions roaming freely within a compound, which the Sindh Wildlife Department said was a "serious violation".
"These lions were roaming freely outside their cages within the compound," revealed Sindh Wildlife Conservator, Javed Mahar while speaking to Geo News. "Residents were terrified upon seeing them."
Mahar explained that the Sindh Wildlife Department issues a mini zoo permit for residents if they wish to seek one. However, those provided permits are not allowed to keep flesh-eating animals.
"These lions could have harmed the people had they escaped from the compound," he said, adding that these lions should have been kept within cages.
He said that when the wildlife team arrived after receiving complaints from residents, the staff at the compound had already moved the lions inside their cages.
Mahar said that the lions' owner had been summoned to the wildlife department, with the relevant documents, at 10:00 am on Wednesday for an open hearing where he will be given an opportunity to provide a clarification on the "serious violation" that he had committed.