LAHORE:
As the city counts down to Basant, the skies may soon fill with color, but on the ground, shortages of kites and strings, delays in vendor permits and conflicting official signals are converging into a controversy that threatens to define the festival’s return more than the celebration itself.
Concerns have emerged over a possible shortage of supplies for flying kites, which could dampen Basant festivities. Sources said the supply of kites, reels and strings remains limited, while the online permit system for licensed sellers is not yet operational.
Although the administration is allowing the importation of kite flying materials from other cities, permit holders would face difficulties due to delays in issuing permits online.
Industry representatives have warned that further delays could lead to higher prices and fewer festivities. The Kite Flying Association has urged the administration to immediately activate the permit system, warning that Basant celebrations could lose their charm if supplies are not available on time.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has refuted claims that any song for Basant would be banned, clarifying that the ban applies only to stage performances as the event which was supposed to bring good publicity to the government continues to descend into controversy.
A day after a notification regarding the banning of 132 songs, including a song associated with the PTI, went viral, the government clarified that the notification issued on January 23 by the Punjab Arts Council had nothing to do with Basant.
Information Minister Azma Bokhari, speaking at a press conference in Lahore, said the ban on songs during stage drama performances had no connection with Basant and applied strictly to stage shows involving dance, aimed at maintaining ethics and quality.
She added that Basant’s regulated guidelines focus on public safety, with comprehensive registration and monitoring of kites, strings and manufacturers, strict size controls and price regulation.
Strangely, top city police officials, even after the press conference, claimed when contacted that those playing songs from the banned list would be immediately booked under Section 188.
Later, when these officials were informed of Azma Bokhari’s clarification, they requested anonymity, saying the minister was the ultimate authority on the matter and requested that their earlier position not be taken into account.
Information Minister Azma Bokhari was asked to respond to this apparent confusion, but she chose not to respond.
The event which was supposed to bring good publicity to the government has so far only descended into controversy.
From strict security measures and registration requirements that drove up the prices of kite strings, to banning citizens from using kite colors to express their political affiliation, to exorbitant fines for violations, everything has made a lack of proper planning and a disconnect with ordinary citizens increasingly evident.
The implementation of the Basant regulations also remains a pressing issue, with authorities privately admitting that it is virtually impossible to determine from which roof a kite is being flown.
A government official from an affected department, who asked that even his department remain confidential, said there was no imaginable way to focus on the offending roof.
He added that it was now up to the district government to frame rules so that the police did not use them as a license to act according to their own whims.
A sitting PML-N parliamentarian also expressed fear of reviving what he calls a deadly festival, including limiting it to Lahore. He questioned why other towns and villages were being deprived of the festival and said it would leave a bad taste for residents of other major cities in the province.
However, a former federal minister, although also opposed to Basant, said that the event was inherently Lahore-centric and hence celebrating it only in Lahore made sense.
He added that the festival would effectively belong to the rich, given the high cost of kites, strings and participation. He said he hoped and prayed that Basant would not cause casualties and maintained that it should not have been revived.
Former caretaker chief minister Hasan Askari Rizvi said holding the event only in Lahore, although it remains banned elsewhere, would have a negative impact on people in other cities, calling its enforcement discriminatory and unlikely to benefit the PML-N government in any way.
He said the ban on party colors was not unconstitutional but was an administrative decision granted to the government, adding that given the current judicial situation, the possibility of legal recourse was not even available.
Information Minister Azma Bokhari was contacted again for comment on the growing controversy surrounding Basant, but she was unavailable.
Meanwhile, the tightly regulated and government-sponsored Basant revival is fast becoming a test of the Punjab administration’s ability to manage security, politics and public expectations, as the Lahore district administration has issued a strict 12-point code of conduct for the three-day kite festival.
The development follows directives from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for the festival scheduled from February 6-8.
Emphasizing public safety and zero tolerance, the Deputy Commissioner of Lahore announced that the code of conduct would be enforced across the city, including on all rooftops and premises, to ensure compliance with the Kite Flying Act, 2025 and other safety regulations.
The district administration, police and departments concerned have been instructed to strictly implement these guidelines, with officials authorized to inspect rooftops and impose immediate bans on kite flying at dangerous sites.
Under the code, the use, sale or display of metallic, chemical, glass-covered, nylon or otherwise dangerous kite strings was strictly prohibited, while aerial shooting and the use of loud sound systems causing public disturbance were also banned.
The authorities have also made it mandatory to install safety bars on all motorcycles in Lahore to protect motorcyclists from dangerous kite wires.
Flying of kites near airports and sensitive installations will not be permitted under any circumstances. Property owners have been asked to ensure adequate safety arrangements on roofs and will be held personally responsible for any accidents or losses occurring during the festival.
The sale and purchase of kites and related accessories will be permitted only from February 1 to 8 and exclusively through sellers registered with the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Purchasing supplies from unauthorized sellers will result in strict legal action.
Earlier, CM Maryam Nawaz said all departments were actively working to make the government-sponsored Basant festival safe and well-organized.
Chairing a review meeting, she said a comprehensive traffic management plan had been finalized, under which Lahore would be divided into several zones and motorcycles would not be allowed to enter the red zone without a security wire.
Free transportation plan
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has also finalized a comprehensive plan for free transportation for Basant celebrations. The Commissioner of Lahore Division approved the plan, under which citizens will be able to travel free of charge on Metro Bus and Orange Line Metro services throughout the festival.
According to officials, free transportation will be available on 24 routes across Lahore, with 228 buses plying on feeder routes, 64 Metro Bus vehicles, 54 government college buses and 73 university buses.
The Orange Line subway is expected to carry approximately 250,000 passengers per day, while the subway and feeder lines will collectively facilitate more than 340,000 commuters per day. Besides, 5,000 branded private rickshaws will also provide free transportation services.
