Despite the ban on kite flying first by the Lahore High Court and later by the Punjab government, enthusiasts of the sport have been spotted flying their kites at night and in some areas at daytime as well.
The festival was banned by the Lahore High Court (LHC) some years ago because of the increasing number of deaths caused by people getting entangled in kite string. The matter was then handed over to the Punjab government who banned the festivities on a provincial scale. Despite the ban, however, kite flying was observed in many areas of Lahore.
The involvement of area police of several localities, including Ghaziabad, Ichhra, Wahdat Colony, Shadbagh and Ravi Road, has encouraged kite-flying enthusiasts to pursue the activity despite the ban. According to police sources, people fly their kites in groups after paying off the police a sum of Rs 10,000 to 15,000.
Zia Ahmad, a kite flying enthusiast, told Pakistan Today that he used to participate in the festivities ever since he was a young boy, visiting places like Kot Abdul Malik and Tamokay village. He said that the ban did not hinder his activities as he could easily bribe the area SHO with a sum of Rs 20,000.
He insisted that flying kites was not a bad thing but admitted that kite string was dangerous since it was sharp and yet difficult to break. He added that kite-flying enthusiasts would understand why the thickness of the string was important to the sport.
He further said that no chemicals were being used in the making of the string and anyone insisting otherwise was lying.
“Most enthusiasts fly kites in the dark of the night to avoid police action. It makes it harder for the police to identify the rooftops from where the kites are being flown,” said Raza Ali, a resident of Ichhra. He acknowledged that kite string could pose a serious risk to motorcyclists but said there was no other option left with enthusiasts.
Iqbal Town Station House Officer Muhammad Sarwar denied that kite flying was taking place in his jurisdiction. “I haven’t noticed any kites flying in my area but if people do fly kites at night time how can the police control it since its difficult to identify such rooftops,” he told Pakistan Today.
All Pakistan Kite Association member Khawaja Nadeem told Pakistan Today that about 150,000 kite-makers were suffering due to unemployment because of the ban on Basant festivities. He said that the chief minister had formed a committee to probe into the matter but there had been no representation of those who were involved in the kite-making business in the committee. He advised the CM to make four zones in the city specifically for the annual festivities so that people could enjoy the festival without any hindrance.
He also said that the CM should take note of the 150,000 families facing poverty because they had been forced to shut down their businesses in the wake of the ban. He further said that due compensation should be granted to such people so their problems were eased.
