CPO urges citizens not to allow children to fly kites

Rawalpindi:City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi have urged the citizens to ensure that their children do not violate the ban on kite flying imposed by the provincial government otherwise strict action would be taken against the violators in accordance with the law.

According to a police spokesman, Rawalpindi district police were conducting raids to net the kite sellers and flyers. He informed that on the special directives of City Police Officer, Rawalpindi Syed Khalid Hamdani, police were taking strict action in accordance with the law.

The CPO had requested the parents to stop their children from getting involved in such activities as a crackdown against kite flyers had already been accelerated in the city, he added. Special squads had been formed to net the violators while deputy superintendents of police and station house officers were also taking part in the operation.

He said that the officers concerned had been directed to utilise all available resources to control the kite flying and to net the ban violators and the kite sellers. He said that the violators were being dealt with an iron hand and no one would be allowed to violate the law and indulge in kite flying and selling.

The use of metal string for kite flying results in the loss of human lives therefore, all-out efforts are made to stop kite flying, he said adding, a special awareness campaign is also being run to control the ban violation.

He said that the Inspector General of Police, had issued orders to speed up crackdown against kite-flying and aerial firing. The spokesman said Rawalpindi district police had adopted a zero-tolerance policy against kite sellers, flyers, aerial firing and strict action was being taken against the violators.

The people had also been requested to report on 15 against kite-flying and aerial firing so that such notorious elements could be immediately rounded up, he added. Police officials have reiterated time and again that flying-kites is a potentially dangerous sport that can lead to the loss of life, and those found disregarding its cost to human lives will be prosecuted according to law.

The Rawalpindi police had also launched an awareness campaign about the hazards of the risky sport with the help of religious scholars, who were asked to make announcements on their respective mosques sound systems about the demerits of kite-flying.

The police had finalised arrangements for live monitoring of all densely populated areas, while all Station House Officers (SHOs) had been directed to ensure strict surveillance of kite sellers in their areas.

The police teams were trying to trace and arrest culprits involved in buying and selling killer strings and kites through social media, he said adding that monitoring of courier services and passenger vehicles was also being tightened, so that any kites and chemical strings being brought to the city could be seized.

Police also organised walks in different city areas to sensitize the masses regarding the hazards and prevention of kite flying. Special awareness pamphlets were also distributed during the walks and awareness banners were also displayed at different points.

A large number of traders, students, citizens and Police Officers participated in the awareness walks. The aim of the walks was to provide awareness to the citizens about the harms of the kite flying and its prevention.

The kite-flying is a dangerous game and it’s a crime. After the amendment in the law, kite flying is a non-bailable crime, which could be punished with imprisonment from 03 to 7 years and a fine of Rs500,000 to 5 million.

SSP (Operations) said that no one would be allowed to violate the ban and strict action as per the law would be taken against kite flyers and sellers.Meanwhile, Rawalpindi District Police on the directives of a City Police Officer, Rawalpindi are making efforts to control kite flying and managed to arrest a kite seller on recovery of over 2,000 kites and 40 kite flying string rolls, said a police spokesman here on Monday.

He informed, that Waris Khan police arrested a kite seller namely Muhammad Safian and recovered 2,000 kites and 40 kite flying string rolls. A case has been registered against the accused and further investigation is under process. Superintendent of Police, Rawal directed the police teams to accelerate operations against kite sellers and flyers.