Basant returns

Basant's revival in Punjab has stirred both excitement and unease — and rightly so. For Lahore in particular, the festival was a cultural signature recognised around the world. The sight of hundreds of coloured kites crowding the sky became central to Lahore's identity and a magnet for tourists who timed their visits to witness the spectacle, fuelling tourism. It also bolstered the local economy, bringing business to hotels, restaurants, retailers and transport operators, besides of course those involved in the kite sale business, during what became one of Lahore's most profitable weekends of the year.

But the festival was not banned without cause. By 2007, Basant had become synonymous not only with festivity but with tragedy. Hazardous metal-coated and chemically treated kite strings, used in competitive kite fighting, caused fatal injuries — particularly to motorcyclists and pedestrians who became unintended victims. Celebratory gunfire added another layer of danger.

The government's decision to outlaw kite flying across Punjab was, at the time, the only responsible response to a mounting loss of life. Families who suffered these losses have never viewed Basant through the lens of nostalgia. For them, the festival carries the memory of preventable grief. The Punjab government's decision to lift the ban after 18 years therefore demands both caution and clarity. The newly promulgated Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance 2025 attempts to rebuild the festival under strict controls. Only thread-based strings will be allowed and every kite and seller must be registered and traceable through QR codes. Crucially, it permits kite flying only at specific places and on designated days.

Whether the true spirit of Basant returns is a question many have asked. But safety will depend entirely on enforcement. If illegal strings resurface through backdoor manufacturing or if the festival spills into congested neighbourhoods, then the province risks retracing the very steps that led to the ban.