Kite flying on rise in suburbs of twin cities

Islamabad : Amidst coronavirus lockdown scenario, kite flying gets popular among youth and students who had no other activity to relish in suburbs of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. On other side, police officials are vigilant and use to make constant crackdowns against kite flyers and specifically against kite sellers to keep ensure ban on kite flying, but despite all these police efforts, kite flying contrary to past, getting popular in adjacent areas of twin cities from Taxila to Gujjar Khan and Peshwar to Chakwal.

Since Coronavirus lockdown in twin cities, police has been making crackdowns against kite sellers in the twin cities and a single day has not been left when officials of police stations in the vicinities of Rawalpindi has not impounded hundreds of kites and metallic kite twines along with kite sellers. As per police record, during the last two months, hundreds of cases have been registered regarding violation of kite flying ban and subsequently, hundreds of thousands of kite were seized. Despite all these cohesive efforts, kite flying is still on the rise and specifically, this activity has moved from urban localities of twin cities to rural area including Rawat, Kalyam Awan, Gujjar Khan, Kallar Sayedan, Adiyala, Chakwal, Daultala, Mandra, Sukko, Wah-Sadar, Attock.

Following police crackdown, kites transportation has become a new business for kite sellers who use to transport kites and metallic twines to desired villages and localities on exorbitant prices specifically amidst ban on public transport.

Majid Ali, a father of two sons, said, “I can’t understand from where kids got these kites when the police are strict and vigilant on kite selling and making crackdowns against kite sellers from last two months. Availably of kites for kids to fly kites either raises questions for these crackdowns of police or smart networking of kite sellers in streets and Mohallas to transport these kites and kite twines in approach of youths and children.”

Shahjehan, a resident of Rehmatabad (Scheme-III) said, “Police crackdown on kite flying simply raised prices of kites for us. A kite which was available simply for 20-30 rupees earlier is available more than Rs100 after these police crackdowns.” Jehanzaib Ali, a resident of Chakwal said, “Following the lockdown and closure of markets, we have nothing to do except watching TV and using mobiles; however, kite flying has become best time killer amidst lockdown scenario. No doubt prices following the ban on public transport and police crackdown has raised; however, kites are available at some homes and local shopkeepers.”

A police official pleading not to be named said police crackdown against kite sellers has become a source to mint money by threatening them to put into cases. Hundreds of kite sellers have reportedly been impounded along thousands of kites and twines but all these seized commodities go to unknown locations.

During the last two weeks, two children were reportedly shifted to a hospital with critical cuts in the neck with metallic twines of kites in Taxila but kite-flying still on the rise in the town.