Despite ban, Basant in Rawalpindi on Friday

Rawalpindi : Although the Punjab government has imposed a ban on kite flying across Punjab, the Kite Flying Association (KFA) of Rawalpindi, has announced to celebrate Basant’ festival in the city areas on February 18.

Flouting the ban, some kite enthusiasts also celebrated Basnat in some of the city areas on February 11 as well. However, the law enforcement agencies have also continued their crackdown against kite flyers and arrested over 450 violators from different areas. But most of the violators have been released on bails.

In wake of the upcoming event on Friday, the local administration has declared an emergency situation in all hospitals in Cantonment and City areas. Doctors and paramedics have been ordered to remain alert these days.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar imposed a complete ban on kite flying under the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Ordinance 2001. But, violators have thrown this ordinance in a bin, and kite lovers are openly flying kites all around the city.

According to information, 13 kite lovers received serious injuries during kite flying on February 11. Over nine motorcyclists also received injuries in different areas due to chemical strings. Three people fell down from their rooftops on the occasion while five pedestrians received injuries while crossing roads.

Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Tahir Farooq said that kite flying was strictly banned throughout the province. “We are continuously arresting violators,” he said adding the police have formed special teams to arrest kite flyers and kite sellers. ‘I have directed all hospitals to be alert to provide an immediate attention they received injuries during kite flying,” he said.

A police spokesman said that arrested persons also included some people who had come from other cities to Rawalpindi to fly kites. The police spokesman further said that Rawalpindi police have so far arrested 463 people during the crackdown and about 80,000 kites had been recovered.

Reliable sources informed ‘The News’ that kites and chemical strings are being sold in the areas of Pirwadhai, Bangash Colony, Adiala Road, Bakramandi, Tench, Sadiqabad, Araya Mohallah, Dhoke Ratta, Dhok Hassu, Glass Factory Chowk, Mohallah Chah Sultan, Naik Alam, and Bagh Sardaran.

The Kite Flying Association (KFA), Rawalpindi senior representative Haji Muhammad Iqbal said, "We have banned the use of metal strings and aerial firing during Basant. There is no justification to ban Basant anymore,” he said.

Talking to ‘The News’ people belonging to different walks of life have appealed to the government to form a proper plan to stop or celebrate ‘Basant’. Government should ban those who were using chemical strings, they said. The citizens also complained that police were arresting innocent people who were not flying kites.

The citizens also advised the government to fix a proper area where kite flying lovers could celebrate ‘Basant’ with simple string for a day.