Basant revival not yet final, Punjab govt informs LHC

LAHORE - The Punjab government has informed the Lahore High Court that the decision to revive the Basant festival was not final and was merely a recommendation at this point.

Justice Ameenudin Khan of the provincial high court conducted the hearing on a petition filed by Shafqat Hussain Pirzada and Punjab govt's counsel appeared before the court on Wednesday.

The Usman Buzdar-led government appeared to take a step back on its earlier announcement to celebrate Basant in 2019 before the Lahore High Court.

On December 18, the provincial government had announced that it was lifting the 12-year-old ban imposed on celebrating Basant, for which a committee was also formed.

The decision was challenged in the high court on the pretext that it was "unconstitutional" to allow a leisure activity "that results in the loss of human lives", and accused the government of lifting the ban to divert attention from public issues.

Any festivity at the expense of human lives should not be allowed, the petitioner had contended.

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The petitioner had asked the court to declare the government's decision illegal, and initiate contempt-of-court proceedings against Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, the provincial chief secretary, and the Punjab police chief.

After listening to the arguments, the court issued notices to Chohan and others named in the petition, while also directing both the parties' counsels to present their arguments in the next hearing.

Basant, a kite-flying seasonal festival of the Punjab region, has been celebrated for generations. It is held in late January or early February and marks the start of the spring season.

Lahoris had been enjoying the festival from decades, however, due to loss of lives the festival was discontinued officially. The Punjab government led by Shehbaz Sharif had also tried to revive the festival, however, the plan could not be materialized.