Fleeing Lion Causes Panic in Karachi, Pakistan

Pakistani police announced that an adult lion escaped from a private vehicle amidst heavy traffic in the city of Karachi, located in southern Pakistan, on Tuesday, causing panic for two hours before it was captured. The police statement mentioned that the lion's owner was transporting it when it escaped on the city's busy main road during peak traffic hours. Wildlife inspector Mukhtiar Somroo told Reuters at the site where the lion was captured, "Our teams rushed here immediately. He is with us and fine; no one is in danger now, thank God." The fleeing lion entered a basement of a nearby building after wandering on the road for some time. A witness told Reuters that the area experienced heavy congestion with the arrival of media vehicles to cover the incident and crowds gathering to see the lion. The wildlife department stated that the lion was transported to its facility as keeping lions in residential areas is prohibited. Senior police inspector Shiraz Nazir stated in a report, "The lion's owner has been detained, and legal action will be taken against him."