Kite string claims lives of five motorcyclists

Kite flying, the deadly sport once a festivity for Lahorites, claimed five lives and left 15 people injured this year, proving once again the failure of the government’s 'zero-tolerance' policy to enforce a ban imposed over a decade ago.

The deceased included a three-year-old child travelling with his father and a lecturer who had recently returned with a PhD degree from the United States. Aftab Ahmad was a lecturer of chemistry at Government Dayal Singh College residing in a rented house at Chungi Amar Sadhu, some 20 kilometres from his workplace. He left for the college on the morning of March 5 on his motorbike. When he reached near Kalma Chowk, kite string ran over his neck. He died on the spot after losing control over the motorcycle that hit the road divider.

Kite string slit the jugular vein of three-year-old Khizar in Masti Gate area when he was travelling with his father, Owais, and siblings on a motorbike. The throat of Asad Nisar was slit when was about to reach home in the Shalimar area on his motorcycle late at night from his duty in a cinema on November 28. A retired employee, Manzoor Hussain, and a youth, Arshad, lost their lives in similar incidents. At least 15 people were severely injured in other incidents. The five deaths recorded by the authorities were of the victims who lost their lives on the spot.

Hide and seek between police and violators of the ban continued throughout the year. While kite stings were risking the lives of motorcyclists, police were claiming to be on alert against the menace and finding innovative ways to enforce the ban, including manning rooftops in densely populated areas. Police spokespersons kept releasing weekly data of arrests, raids and seizure of kites and string. After the death of the lecturer, police started using drones to hunt kite flyers extensively. The police also made announcements against kite flying through public address systems.

Some cops made announcements from vehicles in streets, urging people not to allow their children to fly kites or let anyone use their roofs for the activity. With time, police officers have started seeking harsher punishments to curb kite flying. Former CCPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar said in September, “Kite flying is a life threatening activity.

Lahore police have been suggesting strict fines and sentences in view of the gravity of the offence. We have already submitted to the government recommendations with proposed amendments to the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Act 2001.” Officials had informed the chief minister earlier that enforcement alone was not a solution to the problem. Former city police chief Zulfiqar Hameed had also taken up the need for harsh punishments for the purpose.

Inconsistent policies

“We have taken every possible measure from using drones to deploying policemen at rooftops and patrolling streets with ladders, but they have not served any purpose,” a policeman said. The police often tighten the noose when a grave incident happens and makes headlines, followed by periods of laxity till the next such happening.

The offenders also wait for the police action to slacken. Punjab police claimed registration of 17,053 cases under Anti-Kite Flying Act, 17,882 arrests and seizure of 1.38 million kites and 64,314 string rolls during the year, including 10,387 cases and 10,500 arrests in Lahore. However, it was alleged in some instances that the seized material was sold rather than being destroyed. No major action of disposing of the kites and related items was announced by the police in recent years.

On the other hand, there are many people in Lahore who still see kite flying as a part of centuries old cultural festivities rather than a deadly sport. “You cannot root out a tradition by coercion,” commented a supporter of the Basant festival while speaking to The Express Tribune. The Punjab Kite Flying Association has been struggling for long for permission to celebrate Basant. The association’s president Ghulam Haider Waeen said Basant was an old festival that generated huge revenue. He said the government should act against the use of the deadly chemical or nylon string.