GUJRANWALA: The Punjab Wildlife Department has rescued an African male lion after a video showing its abuse in an urban area of Gujranwala went viral on TikTok. The suspect identified in the footage, Muhammad Usman, son of Muhammad Shahid, remains at large.
The video depicted Usman keeping and harassing the lion illegally, prompting swift action from the Punjab Wildlife Rangers. Acting on the orders of the Chief Wildlife Ranger, officials conducted a raid with assistance from Sadar Police Station. During the operation, Usman escaped by blending into a crowd, but the lion was seized.
According to Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Sheikh Muhammad Zahid, the lion has been transferred to Adil Wildlife Breeding Farm. A case has been registered against Usman under the Wildlife Act of 1974 and Sections 186 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Officials reiterated their zero-tolerance policy toward the illegal keeping of wild animals and acts of cruelty against them in residential areas. They vowed to maintain strict enforcement against such violations.
This incident follows a similar case in Gujranwala, where two African lions were confiscated after a TikTok video showed them being paraded through a neighborhood alongside firearms. In that case, a man known as Luqman, or “Loha,” was seen walking a chained lion in Batala Sharam Singh area.
A team led by Senior Wildlife Ranger Muhammad Umair traced the lions to a private farmhouse, where they were being kept without proper documentation. The animals were confiscated after officials confirmed the absence of valid registration under the Punjab Wildlife Act.
