LAHORE: A three-day Basant festival is being celebrated in Lahore after a gap of 25 years, with Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif thanking the citizens of the provincial capital for their enthusiasm and cooperation.
In her message, the chief minister urged the people to celebrate Basant responsibly, saying, “Enjoy the festivities, we are with you. Leave your worries behind and focus on the kite soaring into the blue sky. It is not just kites but happiness that is flying across Lahore.”
Maryam Nawaz said Basant was an integral part of Punjab’s cultural heritage and stressed the need to take pride in local traditions while demonstrating responsible citizenship during the festival. She appealed to citizens to prioritise public transport instead of motorcycles, noting that 419 buses would remain available free of charge on all routes throughout the three days.
She announced that over 60,000 free rides would be provided to the public during Basant.
The Orange Line Metro Train would offer free travel to 25-seat passengers, while Metro Bus, feeder buses and green buses would also operate free of cost. In addition, rides on 6,000 Yango rickshaws would be free during the festival.
The chief minister emphasised strict compliance with safety measures, urging citizens to use only standard-sized kites and approved strings.
She warned that the use of prohibited kite string could result in heavy fines and long-term imprisonment. The use of metal wire, sharp string, bulletproof material and spools (charkhi) for kite flying has been declared illegal.
The CM further stated that kite flying would not be allowed in civil aviation areas of Lahore, while the installation of safety rods on motorcycles and motorcycle rickshaws was mandatory.
She said comprehensive arrangements had been made to ensure public safety during Basant, including the establishment of quick response teams comprising 15 departments in every tehsil. She advised citizens to take extra precautions while flying kites on open rooftops and to secure rooftops with nylon ropes where parapets were absent.
She added that kite flying would not be permitted on rooftops lacking proper safety arrangements. Thermal drone surveillance would remain operational throughout the festival, while police, traffic wardens, district administration and other departments would remain on duty to facilitate the public, she added.
Moreover, the CM has expressed deep sorrow over the death of a young man who was electrocuted and conveyed her condolences to the bereaved family.
She also expressed concern over incidents in which children were injured during kite-flying activities.
The chief minister directed the authorities to strictly enforce the installation of safety rods on motorcycles and ordered that motorcycles without safety rods be barred from entering red-zone areas.
She further instructed the administration to launch a citywide crackdown against the use of metallic kite string, stressing that the use of metallic and prohibited string turns moments of joy into tragedy.
Appealing to the public, Maryam Nawaz Sharif urged citizens to refrain from using banned and metallic kite string, emphasising that public safety must be prioritised during festivities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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