IT is a testament to our people’s fabled ‘resilience’ that they let very little faze them. A lion breaks loose during rush hour on the busiest thoroughfare of Pakistan’s largest city, and the jokes quickly follow. Political commentators quip that the shair has returned earlier than expected. It is a cheeky reference to a recent statement from the PML-N, promising the return of its long-absent ‘supreme leader’ to Pakistan. Meanwhile, TV headlines scream that the lion has strolled into the basement of a nearby building. One imagines the struggle for newscasters as they try to keep a straight face while relaying this ‘breaking’ news. In a social media video, some young men discuss the feline’s welfare and the circumstances of its abandonment, standing not a couple of metres away from the beast. They watch on as another citizen tries to grab the lion’s collar. Netizens sharing the video say they “love” the manner in which their commentary plays out. “It was in someone’s car.” “Where’s the owner of the car?” “Ran away. Probably didn’t have a licence.” “Should’ve at least taken his property with him. Must be expensive.”

The big cat, which is reported to have been ill, was being taken to the vet when it sprang free. Five people have been arrested over its escape. After a similar incident in Islamabad earlier this year, various wildlife experts highlighted the dangers of keeping wild beasts for personal amusement. It appears that their warnings had very little effect. As long as wealthy and powerful individuals continue to see exotic animals as a status symbol, it is unlikely that the illicit trade in wildlife will go away. It is good to have laws to curtail it, but our people also need an education on the moral unacceptability of keeping wild beasts behind bars or in confined spaces and to be taught to appreciate the wonders of nature in more wholesome ways.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2023