Basant in Faisalabad despite govt’s warning; 50 netted

Violating the ban imposed by local authorities, many citizens celebrated the festival of Basant here on Friday.

The event was celebrated on a call given by the Kite-Flying Association even though the district administration had imposed the Section 144 against kite-flying.

Kites in large numbers could be seen floating in air in Mansoorabad, Canal Road, Nishatabad, Jaranwala Road and Jhang Road areas.

Kite-flying is a cultural festival but it has been misused through use of copper wire and metallic strings and a number of people have lost their lives in incidents and accidents involving kite-flying. Some strings are laced with metal shards, others are treated with abrasive chemicals in a bid to cut the string of an opponent‘s kite in a dog-fight.

Meanwhile, local police made 50 arrests over kite-flying during a crackdown in different areas of the city. Hundreds of kites and metallic strings were also seized. The police following the directives of the DIG and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding implementation of the ban on kite-flying conducted a crackdown in Gulberg, Madina Town, Samanabad, People’s Colony and surrounding areas of Faisalabad. During separate actions, the police arrested more than 50 over charges of kite-flying.