The woman and her five-and seven-year-old children were injured on their arms and faces. The condition of all victims was subsequently confirmed to be stable.
The lion was eventually tranquilised and taken away to a game park after the attack. Police arrested the owners on charges of negligence and of keeping a wild animal without a proper license.
Outrage and Response from Authorities To Illegal Possession and Unregulated Deployment
If kept under strict conditions, it is legal to own big cats, including lions, cheetahs, tigers, pumas and jaguars in Pakistan. Owners must register the animals and pay a one-time fee of 50,000 rupees (about $176 or £129) per animal. And crucially, these animals aren't supposed to be kept within city limits — a rule that was apparently flouted in this case.
The father of the mauled children said the lion's owners watched during the attack and did not intervene. CCTV news footage seems to corroborate the story, showing the woman running for help as the lion wandered freely nearby.
Government Crackdown Follows Public Outcry
The episode led to a crackdown on illegal wildlife ownership in Punjab province. Since then, five suspects have been arrested and 13 lions have been retrieved.
There is a growing tendency to keep wild animals as pets in Lahore, the country's second largest city and the capital of the province of Punjab, apparently to showcase status. But there is mounting concern about public safety.
Earlier in the year Pakistani YouTuber Rajab Butt, with 5.6 million subscribers, was told to make animal welfare films after he banned for receiving a lion cub as a wedding present.
Officials said they are optimistic that the actions they've taken recently will increase awareness and curtail reckless ownership of dangerous animals.
