Let’s Convert Basant into a Bitter Controversy

Governor Punjab Salman Taseer has said that Basant is the festival of Spring season and symbol of happiness and Lahorites are eager to celebrate it so no body has right to stop them from it, however, no one can be allowed to use chemical coated string for kite flying. The governor said that if the restricted string was available in the market it never meant to cut throats of innocent people by using it for kite flying..

It may be recalled that a ban on Basant was imposed by the full bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan headed by deposed Chief Justice Iftikahr Chaudhary on October 25, 2005 after taking sue motto notice of number of deaths specially caused to children due to stray string and Chemical coated string. The ban continued for consecutive three years as the court had directed the government to frame a foolproof law to restrict the use of the harmful and chemical material in the kite flying sport. The district nazims as well as the IG police and chief secretaries of all the provinces were directed by the courts to closely watch the implementation of the court orders and bring in to the court notice of any person who infringed or violated the judicial order. Later on, the court continued the hearing of the case but hardly found any legislation from the government which met the required safety steps for the life of citizens against the threat of danger of kite flying.

Update: The Lahore High Court dismissed on Tuesday a petition seeking permission for kite-flying on Basant festival. The court ruled that kite-flying would not be allowed during the upcoming Basant festival in the province.