Collective efforts of various depts during Basant lauded: CM thanks her father for giving vision of uniting people

LAHORE: Expressing gratitude over the successful organisation of the Basant Festival, the Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif lauded the administration, police and 15 departments for their collective efforts to make the event safe.

Addressing a high-level meeting, the chief minister praised the people and also thanked Nawaz Sharif, who gave the vision of uniting people through festivals and celebrating happiness together.

She said the revival of Punjab’s great culture is credited to the people of Lahore, adding that the three-day Basant festival brought back joy not only to Lahore but across Pakistan.

She said that Basant-related activities were cancelled following the tragic incident in Islamabad, adding that her heart is saddened and grieved. “Enemies of the country cannot tolerate peace, calm and happiness here. We will not be afraid and will continue to confront them,” she said.

The chief minister said she feels immense happiness seeing people of Lahore celebrating. She added that Generation Z visited the Walled City of Lahore for the first time, leaving behind laptops and iPads to celebrate joyfully. “Basant is a festival that connects hearts, and people were given the opportunity to celebrate freely,” she said.

The CM said the entire government worked as one team and commended the IG Police, Commissioner, CCPO, DIG, DC, all assistant commissioners and their teams. She also appreciated Safe City authorities for real-time rooftop monitoring.

She said that DG PHA Raja Mansoor did exceptional work in beautifying the city and creating a festive environment for Basant. She also thanked the Transport Department and LESCO for their support.

She said the Information department performed excellently by providing entertainment for the public and presenting a positive image of Basant to foreign guests. A large number of high commissioners, consul generals and diplomats visited Lahore to celebrate Basant. International media not only covered the festival but also highlighted the positive image of Punjab and Pakistan through prominent headlines.

The chief minister thanked the media for their comprehensive coverage, saying it helped people recognize Punjab’s rich history, culture and heritage. She said the Basant festival strengthened Punjab’s cultural identity.

She said the public completely ignored calls for protests and strikes. “The strike calls by wealthy elements were rejected by the common people. The culture of rudeness was ignored and replaced with the culture of Basant,” she said.

The chief minister said it was encouraging that no motorcycle was seen without a safety rod. Around 9,000 to 10,000 motorcycles were geo-tagged and alerted for missing safety rods, after which riders voluntarily installed them. She said this reflects a positive change in public respect for the law and the emergence of a disciplined society.

She praised the traffic police for persuading people with care and respect rather than force, adding that the public responded positively. People from Karachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan came to Lahore to celebrate Basant. “Not only rooftops, but hearts of Lahore’s people were also connected,” she said.

The chief minister said it gives her happiness that people set aside differences and connected with one another. Generation Z adopted positive behavior by rejecting negativity and abusive language. She said calls for strikes failed completely and no shutdown occurred anywhere in Punjab.

She said the government provided 1.4 million free safety rods for motorcycles. The people of Lahore fully complied with government SOPs, and for the first time, no incident of throat-slitting by kite string was reported during kite flying. She said further reforms are being introduced in Punjab Police. People from across the country came to Lahore to celebrate Basant, and she congratulated all 15 departments on the successful event.

The CM said 2.6 million people benefited from free transport, while 1 million vehicles entered Lahore during Basant. The revival of Basant revived Lahore’s culture, and it was heartening to see smiles on people’s faces. She also thanked overseas visitors who came to celebrate Basant and said the younger generation experienced a safe Basant in Lahore’s open skies for the first time. Street vendors also earned livelihoods during the festival. She said Basant became a good source of income for people ahead of Ramadan, adding that tickets were unavailable from Karachi to Lahore due to high demand. Despite the entry of one million vehicles, traffic management remained exemplary.

She said 200 clinics on wheels and 25 field hospitals were deployed for public service, and congratulated Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir and Secretary Nadia Saqib. She also appreciated the performance of former IG Usman Anwar.

She said despite millions stepping out during Basant, no incident of harassment against women was reported. She recalled that no kites were visible in the sky until midnight on February 5, and after midnight, the sky filled with kites. Upon public request, she extended kite flying hours until 5am.

The chief minister reiterated that SOPs were fully observed by the public. She thanked the media for playing a vital role in making Basant successful and projecting a positive national image.

She expressed solidarity with the victims of the bombing and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured, adding that she suspended all activities after the incident. “Together, we will confront terrorism,” she said.

She said the people rejected violence and chose celebration and joy instead. Lahoris celebrated Basant traditions with pride, and Generation Z preferred local traditions over blind imitation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026