Rawalpindi's Basant lovers vow to celebrate event despite strict restirctions

Despite strict restrictions imposed by the district administration, the Kite Association has announced that Basant will be celebrated in Rawalpindi on February 12 and 13.

Association representatives stated that if Basant can be celebrated conditionally in Lahore, it can also be held in Rawalpindi, adding that the city is not a no-go area for Basant lovers.

Kite Association Chairman Haji Iqbal and Secretary Muhammad Tayyab said, February 12 would be observed as Basant Night, beginning after Maghrib prayers and continuing until midnight.

During this time, only white kites would be flown, slogans of 'Bo Kata' would be raised, rooftop barbecues would be held, and firecrackers and aerial firing would also take place. They claimed that chemical and metallic strings would be banned.

They further said that February 13 would be marked as a full 'Basant Day', starting after Friday prayers and continuing until sunset. Kite flying would take place from rooftops of homes, shops, plazas, and in open fields. Kite flyers have already started placing orders for kites and strings from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while production has resumed in inner-city warehouses. Traders have also begun taking bookings through social media and offering home delivery.

Supplies of kites from adjoining areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including Haripur, Abbottabad, and Khanpur, have surged in Rawalpindi. There are also reports that several police personnel are involved in the supply of kites and strings.

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Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema said that Basant, kite selling, and kite flying are strictly banned, and no one will be allowed to celebrate Basant.

He warned that cases will be registered against violators, with punishments of up to six-month imprisonment and fines of up to Rs0.5 million. Action will also be taken against parents. Orders have been issued to stop Basant celebrations.

The city police officer said that SHOs of all 34 police stations in the district have been issued strict instructions to carry out daily crackdowns against kite and string sales. Anti-kite teams have been formed at each police station, and strict checking has been imposed on entry points from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Confiscated kites will be destroyed immediately.

On Basant days, special teams will be deployed to arrest kite flyers by accessing rooftops using ladders from outside.
Following the Basant announcement, prices of kites and strings have increased sharply. A small plain kite is being sold for Rs150, a medium one for Rs300, and a large high-quality kite for Rs500. String prices range from Rs2,700 to Rs4,000, while 70 per cent of the strings available in the open market are reportedly metallic and prepared by using chemicals.

A police spokesperson said an operation against kite flying is underway across the city. Over the past week, 8,643 kites and 3,985 strings have been seized, and 29 suspects have been arrested and sent to Adiala Jail.