The man, identified as Muhammad Azeem, entered the lion’s cage without the farm owner’s permission and got dangerously close to the big cat in a bid to shoot a viral video.
A daring TikTok video shoot went wrong when a caged lion attacked a Pakistani man at a breeding farm in the nation’s Punjab province.
The man, identified as Muhammad Azeem, entered the lion’s cage without the farm owner’s permission and got dangerously close to the big cat in a bid to shoot a viral video.
“As Azeem got closer to the lion with his cellphone, the big cat attacked him, leaving him with injuries to his head, face, and arms,” the police said.
The owner of the breeding farm heard Azeem’s cries and rushed to rescue him. Azeem was then shifted to a hospital, where his condition is currently stated to be critical. Legal action against the farm owner has been ordered, including canceling his breeding license.
“Keeping of five species of big cats – lions, cheetahs, tigers, pumas, and jaguars – have been regulated under the law. There had been no legislation for the past 70 years regarding keeping these animals, leading to their presence in homes,” said senior Pak minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
“A strict ban has been imposed on displaying these animals on TikTok or other social media platforms. Minimum standards have been established for keeping them, and they must be housed outside city limits. Owners will be given time to relocate these animals; failure to comply will result in legal action and FIRs,” she added.
The cabinet of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz included the big cats in Schedule II of the Wildlife Act of 1974 last week, legally regulating their possession.
