Punjab residents to enjoy four-day weekend, says CM Maryam

Punjab will enjoy a long weekend with Kashmir Day on February 5, a provincial Basant holiday on the 6th, followed by Saturday and Sunday.
We hope people across Punjab take this time to relax, recharge, and make the most of the break 🫶🏻

The chief minister encouraged the public to use the extended break positively, expressing hope that residents across the province would spend the time relaxing and refreshing themselves.

Basant buzz returns

The long-suppressed excitement of Basant has resurfaced in Lahore as an unprecedented rush of buyers flooded the city's historic kite and string market at Mochi Gate, after the Punjab government decided to allow limited kite flying for the first time in nearly two decades.

From early morning, the narrow streets of Mochi Gate were packed with shoppers, creating scenes reminiscent of Eid or Chand Raat. The crowd was so intense that several shopkeepers shut their stores within an hour, saying their stock had sold out almost immediately.

Read: Basant buzz returns to Lahore

Even after shutters were pulled down, buyers continued to wander through the congested lanes in search of kites and string, underscoring the pent-up demand surrounding the festival's tightly controlled return.

Sunday marked the first day of legal buying and selling under a government-approved window running from February 1 to 8.

Kite flying has been permitted only within Lahore on February 6, 7 and 8 -- as authorities move cautiously amid lingering safety concerns.

Buyers complained that prices had surged sharply on the first day of sales. They said kites were selling for Rs250 to Rs500.