Police fail to control kite flying

LAHORE
Police and the district administration have failed to ensure the implementation of ban on kite flying in the city.
In a number of areas including the constituencies of noted political figures, who call the shots in Punjab, violation of kite flying ban continues and the police seem nothing less than a silent spectator. The kite flying, a popular recreational activity in Punjab, was banned by Lahore High Court a few years ago and later the district government imposed a ban after a number of deaths reported in the province and the city due to chemical kite twine.
In last decade, incidents of throat slitting due to chemical chord started coming to surface in Lahore after which the authorities concerned took measures to prevent the incidents.
However, even in last five years or so, the deaths due to kite twine also occurred on different occasions in which people from different ages including minors travelling on motorbike become victims of chemical chord. In late 2013, a minor lost life in Sabzazar area when a chord cut his throat while he was on a motorbike with his parents. Similarly, Hafiz Rashid, a youth in Badamibagh, lost his life last year which invoked serious criticism on the city police. Incidents related to the kite twine killings or serious injuries have also been reported from different parts of Punjab. Last year, Punjab chief minister taking serious notice of the death reported in the area of Badamibagh last year ordered suspension of various police officials. The police teams remained active last year due to which at least in the city, the kite related tragedies were averted but once again, slackness on the part of city police is obvious.
Even in ‘VIP’ constituencies where sitting MNA or MPA is holding important offices, the police don’t seem serious in taking measures to arrest the people violating the ban. The worst situation interestingly seems in the areas of Northern Lahore which fall either in the constituency of Hamza Shahbaz or in NA-123 from where Lahore PML-N president Pervaiz Malik is the sitting MNA.
NA-119 includes the areas of Shadbagh, Misrishah, Faiz Bagh, Do Moriya Pull, and almost entire walled city including population living within historic gates of Sheranwala, Bhati, Lohari, Mochi, Delhi etc. Most of the area falls into the City Division Police which remained headed by SP Asad Sarfaraz till last month. Situation witnessed improvement in most of the 2014 under him, however, later, the local police, particularly that of Shadbagh, Misrishah didn’t pay much attention to nab the ban violators. In the areas of Shadbagh, Misrishah, Faiz Bagh and the Walled City, the violation of kite flying ban continues. In most of the areas kite string caused power shutdowns.
Kite lovers continue flying kites and no action is taken against them. In Shadbagh, particularly time and again people say police have been informed about the areas where the ban violation continues, but no action is taken.
SHO Tahir Ikram, however, claims that he has carried out raids and arrested people involved in kite flying or selling kites in his area. He said within last five months since he took over, more than 10 FIRs had been lodged and people violating the ban on kite flying had been booked.
SP Haroon Joyia while talking to The News said there was no tolerant policy for the violators and a strict action would be taken where the ban violation was reported. An interesting aspect related with the area of Shadbagh is that it is purely the constituency of VIPs as other than Hamza Shahbaz, two other figures including Punjab Minister Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman and Adviser on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique are two sitting MPAs from PP-141 and PP-142, respectively. After resignation of Rana Sana Ullah from office in the wake of the Model Town incident last year, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman also held the office of Law Minister for several months.
However, in his own constituency, violation of law continues unchecked and even in the area of Garhi Shahu Bridge, whose once section is situated quite close to the residence of Mujtaba, kite flying continues openly which poses serious life risk to people, particularly those travelling on motorbike and passing over the Garhi Shahu Bridge. The most life threatening situation is seen at the Garhi Shahu bridge which thousands of motorcyclists cross everyday. One side of that bridge belongs to City Division whereas other is under Civil Lines. Kite flying continues over this bridge almost everyday but no action takes place.
The area of Railway Colony, which is situated just under the Garhi Shahu Bridge, local people say time and again complaints had been lodged with the police but no action was taken. This is the story related with NA-122, the constituency of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the Speaker of National Assembly, another ‘VIP’ area of Lahore where police is unable to impose kite flying ban for the safety of public.
In the areas of NA-123 such as China Scheme, Gujjarpura, the violation of ban on kite flying seems quite frequent but local police, which is in the domain of the
Civil Lines division seems least bothered these days. Some of the police officials, requesting anonymity also stated that on most of the occasions, whenever any person selling or flying kite was arrested, he tried to use his connections with the local representatives to save his skin.
District Coordination Officer Muhammad Usman Younus while talking to The News said that the City District Government Lahore had imposed a ban on kite flying in Lahore and enforced it through the Lahore Police. He said police teams were responsible for ensuring ban on kite flying. He added special focus was being given by the CDGL teams where violation was reported, adding action would be taken where violation was taking place.
Home Minister Shuja Khanzada told The News that the CM had already directed the police to take strict action against those involved in the violation off ban on kite flying. He said action would also be taken against the police officials who were unable to impose the ban.