Top government officials privately acknowledge concerns about potential consequences of festival
A large number of passengers board a train at Rawalpindi railway station for Lahore on the eve of the Basant festival. PHOTO: ONLINE
LAHORE:
Punjab authorities have finalized important security arrangements for the three-day Basant festival scheduled for February 6-8, marking the first officially sanctioned celebration of the traditional kite flying event in Lahore after a ban of more than 20 years, imposed amid fears of incidents and growing security concerns.
More than 10,000 police officers and personnel will be deployed in the provincial capital to ensure public safety, Punjab Inspector General of Police Rao Abdul Kareem said. The event has been classified as “sensitive” due to the expected large gatherings and recent security threat assessments.
Senior government officials privately acknowledge concerns about the festival’s potential consequences. Sources fear that if a large number of lives are lost – due to violations such as aerial firing, people falling from roofs while retrieving kites after a “pecha” (kite cutting), or neck injuries caused by dangerous kite strings – the administration could face severe criticism from opposition parties as well as backlash from the public.
These concerns reflect the delicate balance authorities must maintain between meeting public demand for this beloved cultural tradition and ensuring safety after nearly two decades of banning.
A major challenge facing authorities is the unprecedented increase in demand for approved equipment for kite flying, particularly standard QR-coded strings. Officials have expressed concern that the resulting supply gap will push desperate buyers to turn to banned chemical or metal cords, significantly increasing safety risks.
The severity of the problem prompted the Interior Ministry to issue an emergency notification two days ago, allowing the import of manufactured materials from four districts outside of Lahore.
Provincial Minister Bilal Yaseen on Wednesday chaired a special meeting with senior officers, including the Interior Minister, to expedite the supply of standard materials at affordable rates from other provinces.
The challenges of drone surveillance
Lahore has been divided into red, yellow and green zones based on a risk assessment, with drone cameras equipped with night vision deployed to monitor crowds, rooftops and intersections.
The live feeds will be relayed to the control rooms established at the Commissioner’s office, Punjab Safe City Authority and the DIG office.
However, sources admitted that this represents “the most daunting task” that authorities may face as the high density of kites flying during Basant could make it almost impossible to identify specific rooftops where stringing violations are occurring.
Police also fear surveillance drones could be damaged by kite strings or deliberate acts such as targeted shooting.
A QR code system has been introduced for all kites and strings, allowing authorities to track compliance and identify illegal materials. Each item must have a unique code linked to registered sellers.
An official said it remains a quagmire how authorities will trace the origin of a roof where a kite or rope was used in violation of standard operating procedures.
Multi-level security framework
According to official security instructions issued by the Ministry of Interior to all relevant agencies, the festival has been classified as “sensitive” given the expected influx of visitors from other cities and the public’s strong emotional attachment to the cultural celebration.
Faisal Kamran of DIG Operations, who conducted inspections in key areas such as Shadman, Mozang, Mochi Gate and Mall Road on Thursday, hours before the official start of kite flying, stressed a zero-tolerance policy for violations.
“The safety of citizens will not be compromised,” Kamran said, adding that strict action would be taken against those who make kite flying unsafe.
The security apparatus includes mandatory compliance with Punjab Kite Flying Rules 2025, technical sweeping of celebration venues by the Special Branch, strategic picketing, frequent snap checks, coordinated intelligence sharing between law enforcement and security agencies and positioning of rapid response forces at strategic locations, according to the security plan shared by the Lahore Police.
Law enforcement and law enforcement data
The crackdown ahead of the festival yielded significant results, authorities said. Over the past 34 days, police recorded 1,777 cases of violations of kite flying regulations, arrested 1,872 suspects, recovered more than 102,907 kites, sealed 32 illegal manufacturing factories, and arrested 293 people for illegal sales of kites and strings.
In the last 24 hours alone, 150 cases were recorded across the province, with 157 suspects arrested and 39,667 unapproved kites confiscated.
Punjab Home Minister Ahmad Javed Qazi on Thursday reiterated the security instructions given to concerned departments and the media.
According to the notification issued by his department, the necessary safety measures to be ensured under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Punjab Kite Flying Act, 2025 include a complete ban on the use of metallic, chemical or plastic strings (only cotton strings are permitted); kites bearing religious symbols, flags or portraits of political parties; aerial firing and weapons demonstration; flying kites at government buildings, shopping malls and designated sensitive structures; and flying kites from parks, roads or public spaces, with kite flying permitted only from rooftops.
Mandatory safety requirements also include that motorcycles be equipped with safety bars or protective antennas; kite dimensions limited to a maximum width of 35 inches and a maximum length of 30 inches; rooftop gatherings requiring formal registration and no-objection certificates; and the provision of free public transport to reduce the use of motorbikes during peak hours.
Health and emergency preparedness
The Punjab Health Department has placed 13 government hospitals on high alert, ensuring full staffing, emergency beds and diagnostic services. Rescue 1122 has been instructed to remain fully prepared to respond in the event of an emergency.
Mine clearance teams and civil defense personnel will also remain on alert throughout the festival. Considering the expected large influx of vehicles in Lahore, traffic arrangements have also been planned accordingly.
It may be noted that Inspector General of Punjab Police Rao Abdul Kareem, who recently took charge, personally visited different areas of Lahore to review security arrangements and gave instructions of “zero tolerance to be observed for violations” to the Lahore Police Command.
