Safely managed Basant

2026-02-10 - 00:06

APPREHENSIONS about safety of lives were expressed when the Punjab Government decided to lift the long-running ban on Basant/kite-flying but the comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) devised for the purpose and fuller cooperation of the people made the festival a memorable one. It was because of the disciplined festivities by Lahoriites and their strict monitoring by the Chief Minister herself, aided by her Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb and Minister for Information and Culture Uzma Bokhari, that Maryam Nawaz was so impressed by the incredible energy, festivity, unity and joy across Lahore, Punjab and Pakistan that she announced night-long extension in celebrations as a “reward for the people of Lahore” for celebrating Basant with great discipline and for responsibly following all SOPs. The huge success of the celebrations, which remain largely safe throughout three days, is yet another feather in the cap of the Chief Minister, who is known for taking bold and innovative decisions for the sake of the province and its people. The kite-flying festival was banned in 2007 in Punjab because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders as well as by celebratory gunfire. The ban was briefly lifted in 2018 but re-imposed due to safety considerations but in December 2025, the provincial government decided to allow a properly regulated festival to take care of both safety and recreational aspects besides significant economic activities that it generates. The authorities also decided to limit the festivities to Lahore and CM Maryam earlier said that Basant in Lahore was being organized as a pilot project so that “we can see how effective our security protocols and SOPs”. According to the Punjab Government’s instructions, only cotton string is allowed to be sold for kite-flying during Basant, whereas the manufacturing of metallic string material and kites exceeding fixed sizes is strictly prohibited. The provincial government has also imposed a ban on the manufacturing of kites bearing images of any person, Holy Scripture, religious place, country’s flag or that of a political party. As per Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, the provincial government spent nearly five months preparing to ensure Basant’s safe return. Similarly, Uzma Bokhari built the tempo for celebrations and also raised proper awareness among people about safety aspects of the festival, the monitoring of which was carried out by surveillance cameras, thermal drones and monitoring rooms by the local administration. It was because of all this that the city remained draped in Basant themes, rooftops booked and decorated and the tallest kite ever stood proudly at the heart of the city. Comprehensive safety measures were in place but even then about two hundred clinics on wheels were deployed in different areas besides field hospitals in case of any emergency. The enthusiasm of the people can be witnessed by the fact that close to one million vehicles entered Lahore in three days and hundreds of thousands of people travelled to witness the celebrations. Apart from entertainment, the festival generated economic activities benefiting different segments of the society – shopkeepers, tailors, caterers, transporters and others. The Punjab Government also deserved credit for its decision to cancel all Basant-related activities on Saturday following the deadly terrorist attack at Imambargah in Islamabad. The success of the festival has raised the prospects to make it a regular annual feature. The provincial government had announced that the Basant was being confined to Lahore as a pilot project and subject to responsible behavior of the people and adherence to the SOPs, permission may be granted for celebration of the festival in other cities and areas of the province in future. This seems to be a possibility now.