In a horrific incident, a lion and a lioness died of their wounds as they were tortured while being shifted to Lahore from Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.

These poor animals were beaten with clubs and their cage was set on fire as the zoo staff wanted to transport them out of the facility according to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders.

It is reported that the lioness died of her injuries soon after reaching Lahore while the lion which was in a critical condition after his cage was set on fire but he succumbed to his wounds.

The footage available with 24NewsHD TV channel shows that the lioness is being thrashed with clubs as the cage is set on fire in an attempt to tame them. It is said the lion’s condition deteriorated because of burns and suffocation, and he later died too.

Three blue bulls and an ostrich too have died in the zoo as the administration has stopped the process of shifting the animals to hide its incompetence.

On the other hand, the administration hasn’t taken action over the incident and attempts are being made to sweep the matter under the carpet.

Amid the torturous condition faced by the animals, the IHC in a landmark decision had ordered the Marghazar Zoo on May 21 to move caged animals to their respective sanctuaries.

On Monday, the court issued a notice to the Balkasar Bear Sanctuary for not accommodating two bears from the Marghazar Zoo despite a court order.

The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board had recently informed the IHC that the zoo’s lone elephant Kaavan was being moved to a sanctuary in Cambodia and the marsh relocated to a sanctuary.

The situation for animals at Marghazar Zoo is no different from the situation in Peshawar Zoo.

The TV channel reported on Wednesday about the precarious situation at the Peshawar Zoo which led to death of at least 18 animals over the last nine months.

Three wild cats died due to unavailability of a proper cage for them, while a deer was killed when other animals at the zoo attacked it. A zebra died after it smashed its head against a net, while a bear was killed in a fight with another bear.

A markhor was killed when it smashed its head against the net while a cheetah and three giraffes died from liver diseases and diarrhoea. And then a hyena died from brain tumour.