LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a three-day Basant Festival in the province, saying that everyone has the right to celebrate freely in Punjab.
She said Punjab belongs to all, and people of every religion have the full right to celebrate their festivals, whether it is Eid, Holi, Christmas, or Ramadan.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was held, during which key decisions regarding the Basant Festival were taken. Addressing the meeting, she said she had come to restore joy to the people of Punjab.
She said happiness had been taken away from the people and replaced with conflict and unrest. Punjab is a province of warm-hearted people, yet its citizens were deprived of recreation and festivities.
Maryam Nawaz said that after 30 years, the Horse and Cattle Show was revived in Punjab and would be held again this year. She reiterated that everyone in Punjab has the right to celebrate freely, regardless of religion.
She said the beautiful festival of Basant, which heralds the arrival of spring, began 800 years ago. Basant is an integral part of Punjab’s culture and heritage, and the world values Punjab’s culture highly.
The chief minister announced that a government-sponsored and organized Basant would be celebrated for the first time on February 6, 7, and 8. She said it was unfortunate that a festival like Basant had become associated with accidents in the past.
She said a comprehensive safety plan had been prepared to ensure public safety, and Lahore had been divided into red, yellow, and green zones. She added that free safety rods were being installed on one million motorcycles in Lahore.
Maryam Nawaz said that 2,150 manufacturers, traders, shopkeepers, and other stakeholders had been registered for the Basant festival. Ahead of Basant, more than 600 cases had been registered for kite flying and 641 people arrested.
She said over 27,000 illegally manufactured and sold kites had also been seized, while more than 10,000 surety bonds had been taken to allow Basant celebrations.
She said public safety would be ensured at all costs, stressing that the Basant safety plan was not meant to punish people but to protect them.
The chief minister said kite reels (charkhi) would be banned during Basant, and only cotton string made of nine threads would be allowed. The use of nylon or metallic string would not be permitted.
She added that oversized kites and guddas would also not be allowed. Anyone found using prohibited string would face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to Rs5 million.
Maryam Nawaz said kite flying outside February 6, 7, and 8 would result in fines and imprisonment. Parents and guardians would be held responsible for illegal kite flying, as strict legal action would be taken by the administration.
She said kite flying was not a joke but a matter of public safety. In red zones, motorcycles would only be allowed with safety rods, and riding without them would result in a Rs2,000 fine. She emphasized that all measures were being taken solely to protect the public.
She said rewards would be given for providing information about illegal kite flying. On February 6, 7, and 8, only 35-inch kites and 40-inch guddas would be allowed. A special traffic plan had also been prepared for Basant, with 100 traffic police camps to be set up.
She added that, in addition to Suthra Punjab workers, 40,000 police personnel would be deployed during Basant. Areas where kite-string-related incidents occurred had been declared red zones.
The chief minister said that under the Basant transport plan, free rides would be provided. A total of 500 buses would operate, while travel on the Orange Line, Metro Bus, electric buses, and feeder buses would be free. She added that 6,000 rickshaws would provide 60,000 rides on 24 routes.
She said all major and minor roads and routes had been covered under the Basant traffic plan. The purpose of free rides was to discourage motorcycle use and prevent accidents.
Maryam Nawaz said special control rooms had been set up at the Safe City Authority and the commissioner’s office, which would remain on high alert 24/7. CCTV cameras and drones would be used to monitor the three-day Basant celebrations.
She said police, fire brigade, ambulance, and health plans had also been finalized for Basant. She urged the public not to pay attention to misinformation or rumors, stressing that Basant was meant for public enjoyment and happiness.
The Punjab chief minister said the Basant Festival would be officially launched on the night of February 6, while formal celebrations would begin on February 7.
