Police in Karachi, southern Pakistan, said the lion escaped while being carried by its owner on the main road of the busy port city, during rush hour traffic on August 29.
"Our teams reached here immediately. Thank Allah, it is with us safely and no one is in danger now," wildlife inspector Mukhtyar Soomro told Reuters at the site where the lion was captured.
The lion when it was recaptured in Karachi on August 29.
The lion went into the basement of a nearby building after wandering around the street for a while.
A witness said there was a major traffic jam in the area as media arrived to cover the incident and crowds gathered hoping to catch a glimpse of the animal.
The wildlife agency said the lion was taken to an agency facility because keeping lions in residential areas is prohibited.
"The owner of the lion has been detained and will be prosecuted," police chief Shiraz Nazir said in a statement.
Keeping wild cats as pets is not uncommon in Pakistan, where wealthy businessmen often open private zoos and sometimes parade the animals in public.
In 2017, Pakistani police arrested a man who was driving his pet lion for a nighttime "walk" in Karachi.
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Images of the lion have gone viral on social media, causing many people to express concern and issue warnings, but some people see things differently.
“Lions are roaming freely in Karachi as if they know the law of the jungle exists here,” wrote one Twitter user (now X), referring to Karachi’s high rate of street crime.
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