Farm owner says he ‘gifted’ lion cub to Rajab Butt without license

A private wildlife farm owner revealed that he gifted a lion cub to YouTuber Rajab Butt, who was recently arrested for displaying firearms and illegally keeping a lion cub during his extravagant wedding event in Lahore.

Mian Umar Dhola, who runs a private wildlife breeding farm, clarified that Rajab Butt’s arrest was not related to the display of the lion cub but rather due to the possession of illegal weapons.

Dhola explained that while authorities did take notice of the lion cub’s display, it was not obtained illegally. Instead, Rajab had received it as a gift but lacked the proper documentation and ownership license required by law.

He further admitted that his wildlife farm itself was not registered with the relevant authorities, which added to the complications surrounding the incident.

The Wildlife Department visited Rajab Butt’s residence to verify the ownership of the lion cub. Dhola assured officials that the cub came from his farm and promised to provide all necessary documents, including its license.

According to Dhola, the authorities were satisfied with the explanation and were about to leave when they noticed illegal weapons at the YouTuber’s residence, leading to Rajab Butt’s arrest.

He stated that the FIR registered against Rajab did not include charges related to illegal possession of the lion cub.

Mian Umar Dhola also stated that he met with the Director General of Wildlife and the Deputy Director of the Lahore Region, assuring them that he would formally register his farm and obtain its license to avoid similar issues in the future.