'Love is tough': Affluent Pakistanis increasingly keep, then abandon, exotic pet lions

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Updated 16 July 2022
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'Love is tough': Affluent Pakistanis increasingly keep, then abandon, exotic pet lions

  • Owners would previously gift lions to Lahore Zoo but authorities now refusing to take in more due to overcrowding
  • Lion cubs could fetch more than $2,500 a few years ago, now former lion owners say hard to get one fourth of that amount

LAHORE: When Jaun Shah bought Gabbar in 2021, he was a cute, one-month-old African lion cub who loved to play and cuddle with his new companion.

But as the animal grew older and bigger, Shah came face to face with a painful reality: raising a lion was no easy task.

Gabbar, whom Shah had named after an iconic Bollywood villain, had begun to play the part. At one point, he almost chewed off his owner’s shoulder during playtime and Shah and his helpers increasingly became afraid to go near him or into his cage.

Fourteen months after Shah had bought Gabbar for around $4,000, he gave up on trying to raise him and sold the lion off to a local housing society zoo.

“Love is tough, especially when it comes to a full-grown African lion,” Shah told Arab News. “I was wary of the violent tendencies these sublime brutes can develop but I thought we were doing just fine.”

“You can keep a cub until it’s seven eight months old but after that it just grows bigger with every passing day and a 200kg beast is not for any ordinary person to handle.”




This undated photo former lion owner Jaun Shah posing with a lion. (Jaun Shah)

He added wistfully: “Gabbar’s intentions weren’t deadly, he was just excited, mostly.”

Shah is one of several affluent Lahore residents Arab News interviewed, who had bought lions as pets in recent years and then abandoned them after being unable to provide the special care they require and realizing that raising them was both hard and dangerous. Many sold the animals to other private owners, while some approached small housing society zoos.

Unfortunately, the housing society that bought Gabbar was also now looking to rehome him — without much luck, Shah said.

“OUT OF SPACE”

In the past, owners were able to gift their pet lions to the Lahore Zoo after they got tired of them but zoo authorities are now refusing to take in more animals on account of overcrowding.

Kiran Saleem, a deputy director at the Lahore Zoo, said there was no space at the establishment to accommodate more lions.

“We are out of space, we cannot even accommodate the ones rescued by the wildlife department from illegal possession or which were kept in deplorable conditions,” she told Arab News. “In fact, some cages dedicated to tigers and panthers are also occupied by lions at the Lahore Zoo.”

The situation became especially hard to manage after the Lahore Zoo received 10 tigers and eight lions as a gift from the UAE government in 2019, which Saleem said were sent to different zoos across Punjab.

The Lahore Zoo currently houses 26 lions while the city’s Safari Park has 40. The capacity at both facilities is 18 and 34, respectively. The number of surplus lions at 21 parks and zoos across Punjab is more than 20, Saleem said.

An auction scheduled for March 15 to sell surplus lions at these facilities never took place due to lack of interest from buyers, even though the opening bid was kept at Rs 150,000 — much lower than the market price of an adult lion.

Until a few years ago, a lion cub could fetch more than half a million rupees or $2,500. Now, it was hard to get even a quarter of that, previous lion owners said.

Badar Munir, chairman of the Taskforce on Forests and Wildlife Punjab, said: “We have kept the opening bid low knowing that there aren’t many people who would be interested in buying while the market is already high on supply.”

A second auction would be held soon, he said, but the date had not yet been set.

Meanwhile, lion owners who want to give up their animals are struggling to find takers, particularly as few want a pet that is so expensive to feed and house.

“It’s an expensive pet to keep simply,” Syed Imdad Shah, a businessman who has been breeding lions for the past several years, told Arab News. “It consumes 4-5kg meat a day and you have to hire a vet full time.”




The picture posted on May 16, 2021 shows Syed Imdad Shah (second left) posing with a lion in Lahore, Pakistan. (Syed Imdad Haider/Facebook)

A lion owner also needs to spend generously on vitamins and medicines for the pet and appoint a caretaker. If you want to keep a lion as a pet, the businessman said, you should be willing to spend up to $2,500 a month. 

Dr. Rizwan Khan, a veterinary doctor hired by several lion keepers in Lahore, said a lack of behavioral therapy for lions in Pakistan was another reason owners were unable to handle them and often gave them up.

“Lions and tigers go through violent mood swings because of many reasons, including separation anxiety,” the vet told Arab News. “They may seem fearless but they also go through fears and phobias. Some common ones are thunderstorms, crowds, veterinarian visits, car rides and loud noises, and generalized anxiety, typically due to a lack of socialization.”

“TRADE IN BODY PARTS”

Why then do some people still want to keep lions as pets?

“Most of them are those who want to portray a macho image for themselves, flaunt their wealth, while there are some who have kept lions just because it is the election symbol of a political party they support,” Syed, the businessman, said, referring indirectly to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Some even consider the fat of a lion an aphrodisiac, he added, laughing.

Animal rights advocate Uzma Khan, who works for the World Wildlife Fund, said lions in Pakistan were also coveted due to illegal trade in body parts.

A 2016 WWF report titled ‘An Assessment of the Scale of Illegal Wildlife Trade in Pakistan’ says the Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces are top markets for the sale of lions in the country.

The report said the wholesale price of an African lion’s hide was Rs70,000 ($350), while pendants and lockets carved out of lion teeth and claws could fetch thousands of dollars. Hakeems, or local physicians, also used lion fat in medicines meant to relieve muscular and joint pains.

Once you bring the animals into the country, there is no check and balance on their sale, WWF’s Khan said. A set of guidelines issued in 2011 by the National Council for Conservation of Wildlife, the closest to a regulatory regime in Pakistan, had no legal value, she added.

“So where do all these body parts come from? Obviously from dead animals but no one has data on lions who died and how?” she told Arab News. “Autopsies are performed on animals which die at zoos or parks but none are done when it comes to individuals or companies [who own lions].”

Khan lamented the lack of rescue centers for abandoned lions and the fact that authorities were not controlling the growing lion numbers through contraceptives and neutering.

“Breeding big cats is not rocket science. They breed easily, and within a couple of years, their numbers have increased to the extent that we cannot help the unwanted ones,” the animal rights activist said.

She says she had advised authorities on numerous occasions to put lions at zoos on contraceptives or neuter them.

“These methods are used worldwide to control over-population in captivity. I don’t know why we can’t do it here,” she said.

“FEEL BAD FOR MY ANIMAL”

For now, lion enthusiasts warn that often what is mistaken for violent tendencies, and which lead owners to give them up, are just the lions being playful.

“It’s not for the faint hearted to keep lions as pets,” enthusiast Usman Khan said. “When lions are being playful, they jump on you, cuddle with you, but in their own way. Most people get terrified by this playfulness but you have to be lion-hearted yourself to keep a lion, otherwise please don’t.”




The photo posted on April 5, 2020 show Usman Khan holding a cub in Pakistan. (usmanbullet_/instagram)

Khan advised lion keepers not to be afraid when a playful lion bit or hugged them “because if you do try to pull away it will further clench and you will get hurt.”

“Just let it be, it will loosen up the bite,” he said. “Better still, put something bitter on your arms before playing with it. They’re repelled by the taste and won’t probably try to bite you again, even during play.”

But Shah, the past owner of Gabbar, said he still has a hard time getting over his fears. Though he still visits his former pet at his new home at the housing society, he now only watches from a distance.

“It still gets excited to see me but I cannot cuddle it, nor can I stay there for long,” he said. “I feel bad for my animal.”


Pakistan cricket chief says women’s team will not travel to India for 2025 World Cup

Updated 6 sec ago
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Pakistan cricket chief says women’s team will not travel to India for 2025 World Cup

  • Pakistan women’s team delivered stellar performance in the World Cup Qualifiers, winning all matches
  • Mohsin Naqvi says matches involving Pakistan should be held at a neutral venue during the tournament

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cricket chief and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday the national women’s team would not travel to India for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, reiterating Islamabad’s position that matches involving Pakistan should be held at a neutral venue under a hybrid model.
Naqvi’s remarks came shortly after Pakistan concluded their ICC World Cup Qualifier campaign unbeaten, sealing their spot in the tournament with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Lahore.
“It is up to India to decide where the matches will be held since they are the hosts,” he told reporters at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. “Our team is ready to play wherever, but it will not travel to India.”
The hybrid model was implemented earlier this year during the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy hosted by Pakistan, allowing India to play their matches at neutral venues.
During the event, India played their matches in Dubai, citing security concerns, while other participating teams traveled to Pakistan.
The arrangement also drew criticism from several teams, who felt disadvantaged by India’s familiarity with the playing conditions in Dubai.
Pakistan women’s team have delivered a stellar performance in the World Cup Qualifiers, winning all five of their matches.
The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be held from September 29 to October 26. With Pakistan’s qualification, the ICC will need to determine a neutral venue for their matches, adhering to the agreed-upon hybrid model.


Five suspected separatists killed in counterterrorism operation in southwest Pakistan

Updated 19 April 2025
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Five suspected separatists killed in counterterrorism operation in southwest Pakistan

  • A CTD official says the intelligence-based raid targeted BLA militants in Balochistan’s Duki district
  • Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti praises the action, vows to foil conspiracies to destabilize the province

QUETTA: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in southwestern Balochistan killed five suspected militants in an intelligence-based operation in the Duki district of the province on Saturday, confirmed one of its officials, as the region continues to witness a spike in separatist violence.
The raid was conducted by CTD Balochistan with support from other law enforcement agencies in the Dhabar area of Duki. According to the CTD official, the slain militants were affiliated with the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group that has frequently targeted security forces and state infrastructure in the province.
“The latest action against militants was carried out on an intelligence basis, and the bodies of the militants were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Duki,” the CTD official said on condition of anonymity while confirming the number of the dead militants.
The BLA was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 2019 and has long led a separatist insurgency in the resource-rich region.
Militants affiliated with the group have also attacked Chinese nationals and projects linked to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Following the raid, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti praised the CTD action, pointing out that the state would continue to confront militancy with full force.
“Every conspiracy to destabilize Balochistan will be foiled,” he said in a statement issued by his office, adding that any facilitators of such armed separatist groups would also be brought to justice.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind described the operation as part of the ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in the province.
Balochistan has seen a spike in separatist violence in recent years. Last month, BLA militants hijacked a passenger train in the Bolan district, holding hundreds of passengers hostage for about 36 hours.
Duki, the area where the CTD operation took place, has also been prone to violence. In October last year, at least 21 miners were killed in an attack in the area, where gunmen used rocket launchers and grenades to storm coal mine facilities. Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir vowed this week to defeat separatist groups in Balochistan, saying such elements would never succeed in their efforts to disintegrate the country.
Separatist militants accuse the government and military of exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources, but the authorities maintain the Pakistani state has been investing in infrastructure and development to bring stability and growth to the province.


PIA to launch first direct Lahore-Baku flight on Sunday amid push for regional connectivity

Updated 19 April 2025
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PIA to launch first direct Lahore-Baku flight on Sunday amid push for regional connectivity

  • The announcement was made at a roadshow organized in Lahore ahead of the launch
  • The new route is expected to boost tourism, business travel between the two countries

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will begin weekly direct flights from Lahore to Baku on Sunday, the national carrier said, marking its latest step to expand travel links amid Islamabad’s push for deeper connectivity with Central Asian states.
The move comes as Pakistan strengthens diplomatic and trade ties with Azerbaijan, a key partner in its broader regional outreach. The new route is expected to boost tourism, business travel and cultural exchange between the two countries.
“PIA will start weekly flights from Lahore to Baku from Sunday, April 20,” the airline said in a statement on Saturday. “The first flight to Baku will depart tomorrow morning, carrying 174 passengers.”
The announcement was made at a roadshow organized in Lahore ahead of the launch, attended by travel agents, tour operators and tourism industry stakeholders.
PIA officials briefed participants on the airline’s expansion plans and encouraged greater collaboration to promote regional travel and tourism.
“Baku is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, known for its beautiful cityscape, culinary scene and rich religious and cultural heritage,” the official PIA statement continued, adding that Lahore would see more international destinations added in the near future.
The new flight service is seen as part of Pakistan’s ongoing quest to improve air connectivity with countries in Central Asia, where it has been seeking to expand trade and diplomatic engagement in recent years.


Pakistan deputy PM announces understanding with Kabul to prevent cross-border militancy

Updated 19 April 2025
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Pakistan deputy PM announces understanding with Kabul to prevent cross-border militancy

  • Ishaq Dar says Pakistan is trying to ensure the return of Afghan nationals ‘with dignity and respect’
  • He also announces steps to facilitate Afghan transit trade, demands exchange of trade delegations

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday announced a joint understanding between Pakistan and Afghanistan not to allow their soil to be used against each other while addressing a news conference toward the end of his day-long visit to Kabul.
Dar’s visit to the neighboring country came amid surging militancy in Pakistan, which Islamabad blames on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant factions. Pakistan has frequently accused the Afghan Taliban in the past of providing these armed groups sanctuaries and facilitating their cross-border attacks, allegations that Kabul has repeatedly denied.
The deputy prime minister’s visit to Kabul also took place at a time when Pakistan has intensified its campaign to deport “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, which it blames for being involved in suicide attacks and militancy in the country.
The deportation drive has further soured ties between the two nations, prompting the Afghan authorities to express “deep concern” their forced repatriation during Dar’s trip to Kabul.
“We have requested our hosts that we must work together for the development of this region, for its betterment and for establishing peace and stability here,” the deputy prime minister said while addressing the news conference. “For that, we will not allow our land or our soil to be used by anyone for any wrongful activity inside Afghanistan, and we kindly request you to do the same.”
“Both countries must strictly deal with such elements,” he continued. “Neither side should allow its territory to be used for any activity against the other, whether it concerns security or terrorism.”
Dar added in case of any militant violence, both countries “will be responsible to take firm action against such elements within our respective countries and stop them.”
The deputy prime minister also announced a number of measures aimed at facilitating Afghan transit trade, saying they would be implemented by June 30. “Exchange of trade delegations between the two countries is also vital at this stage to increase bilateral trade and ensure mutual prosperity,” he said.
Addressing Afghan concerns over the deportation, he noted Pakistan was trying to ensure that those being sent back were treated with “respect and dignity.”
He said the interior ministry would issue a notification within 48 hours providing phone numbers, WhatsApp contacts and an email address to register any complaints from Afghan nationals returning to their country.
Denying any instructions to block the sale of property by Afghans, he said that those returning to Afghanistan were also allowed to take their personal belongings back with them.
Earlier in the day, before departing for Kabul, Dar acknowledged recent “coldness” in bilateral ties but said security remained a priority.
“I believe the security of Pakistan, its people, their lives and properties, is very important,” he told state-run Pakistan Television. “So one of our concerns is regarding terrorism, which we will discuss.”
During the visit, he met with senior Afghan officials, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to Pakistan’s foreign office, the discussions focused on security, trade, transit and regional connectivity, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to maintaining high-level engagement and enhancing people-to-people contact.


Pakistan deputy PM meets Afghan premier in Kabul to discuss militancy, trade cooperation

Updated 19 April 2025
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Pakistan deputy PM meets Afghan premier in Kabul to discuss militancy, trade cooperation

  • Ishaq Dar acknowledges ‘coldness’ in ties before Kabul visit, says ‘terrorism’ will be discussed
  • Afghan foreign ministry also expresses concern over Pakistan’s deportation drive in a statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday met Afghanistan’s acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund during a day-long visit to Kabul, where the two sides discussed militancy, regional security, trade and efforts to boost bilateral cooperation.
His visit takes place amid surging militancy in Pakistan, which Islamabad blames on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant outfit. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of providing them sanctuaries, allegations that Kabul has repeatedly denied. 
Dar’s visit to Kabul also takes place as Pakistan intensifies its campaign to deport “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, which it has blamed without evidence for being involved in suicide attacks and militancy in the country.
Pakistan’s deportation drive has further soured ties between the two nations. 
“Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar ... called on the acting Afghan Prime Minister, Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a brief statement.

This handout photograph taken on April 19, 2025 and released by the Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows the country’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar (9L) speaks during a meeting with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi (8R) and other Taliban government officials in Kabul. Dar arrived in Afghanistan on April 19 for a one-day visit to meet senior Afghan Taliban officials, including Prime Minister Hasan Akhund, after Pakistan expelled more than 85,000 Afghans in just over two weeks. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOFA)

“Both sides exchanged views on key issues of mutual interest, including security, trade and transit cooperation, and explored ways to enhance people-to-people contacts,” it added.
The foreign office informed the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement and agreed to maintain high-level exchanges to further strengthen relations between the two “brotherly countries.”
Dar arrived in Kabul earlier on Saturday to hold talks with Afghan leaders amid increasingly tense ties between the neighbors.

This handout photograph taken on April 19, 2025 and released by the Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows the country’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar (4R) shaking hands with Afghan government officials upon his arrival in Kabul. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOFA)

Before departing for Kabul, Dar acknowledged recent “coldness” in ties between the two nations but said security remained a priority.
“I believe the security of Pakistan, its people, their lives and properties, is very important,” he told state-run Pakistan Television. “So one of our concerns is regarding terrorism, which we will discuss.”
Dar said Pakistan saw immense potential for trade and investment with Afghanistan and stressed the importance of regional connectivity.


“Our connection with Central Asian states can be established through rail links but that’s not possible unless Afghanistan becomes a partner in this,” he added.
Dar also met Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi upon his arrival in Kabul to discuss security, border management and economic cooperation.
“Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to fostering mutually beneficial relations and agreed on the importance of maintaining high-level engagement,” the foreign office said after that meeting.
Dar’s trip is seen as part of Islamabad’s efforts to re-engage with the Afghan Taliban government despite ongoing tensions and to address its concerns over a surge in militant attacks in Pakistan.
A statement issued by the Afghan government said the Taliban foreign minister voiced “deep concern” over Pakistan’s deportation drive, urging Islamabad to “prevent the suppression of the rights of Afghans.”