Over 10,000 police on alert in Lahore

LAHORE:

Punjab authorities have finalised extensive security arrangements for the three-day Basant Festival scheduled from February 6 to 8, marking the first officially sanctioned celebration of the traditional kite-flying event in Lahore after a ban of more than 20 years, imposed amid fears of mishaps and mounting safety concerns.

More than 10,000 police officers and personnel will be deployed across the provincial capital to ensure public safety, Inspector General of Police Punjab Rao Abdul Kareem said. The event has been categorised as "sensitive" due to the expected large gatherings and recent security threat assessments.

Senior government officials privately acknowledge significant concerns about the festival's potential consequences. Sources indicate fears that if lives are lost in large numbers - due to violations such as aerial firing, people falling from rooftops while retrieving kites after "pecha" (kite cutting), or neck injuries caused by dangerous kite strings - the administration could face severe criticism from opposition parties as well as public backlash.

These concerns reflect the delicate balance authorities must maintain between responding to public demand for the beloved cultural tradition and ensuring safety after nearly two decades of prohibition.

A major challenge facing authorities is the unprecedented surge in demand for approved kite-flying materials, particularly standard QR-coded strings. Officials expressed concern that the resulting supply gap has pushed desperate buyers towards banned chemical cords or metallic strings, significantly increasing safety risks.

The severity of the issue prompted the Home Department to issue an emergency notification two days ago, allowing the import of manufactured materials from four districts outside Lahore.

Provincial Minister Bilal Yaseen chaired a special meeting on Wednesday with senior officers, including the Home Secretary, to expedite the supply of standard materials at affordable rates from other provinces.

Drone monitoring challenges

Lahore has been divided into red, yellow and green zones based on risk assessment, with drone cameras equipped with night vision deployed to monitor crowds, rooftops and traffic intersections.

Live feeds will be relayed to control rooms established at the Commissioner's Office, Punjab Safe City Authority and the DIG office.

However, sources acknowledged that this presents "the most daunting task" authorities may face, as the high density of kites during Basant could make it nearly impossible to pinpoint specific rooftops where string violations occur.

Police also fear potential damage to surveillance drones from kite strings or deliberate acts such as targeted shooting.

A QR code system has been introduced for all kites and strings, enabling authorities to track compliance and identify illegal materials. Each item must carry a unique code linked to registered sellers.

An official said it remains a quagmire how authorities will trace the origin of a rooftop where a kite or string was used in violation of standard operating procedures.

Multi-tiered security framework

According to official security instructions issued by the Home Department to all relevant agencies, the festival has been classified as "sensitive" given the anticipated influx of visitors from other cities and the strong emotional attachment of the public to the cultural celebration.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran, who conducted inspections in key areas including Shadman, Mozang, Mochi Gate and Mall Road on Thursday, hours before the official commencement of kite flying, emphasised a zero-tolerance policy for violations.

"Citizens' safety will not be compromised," Kamran stated, adding that strict action would be taken against those making kite flying dangerous.

The security apparatus includes mandatory compliance with the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025, technical sweeping of celebration venues by the Special Branch, strategic police pickets, frequent snap checking, coordinated intelligence sharing between law enforcement and security agencies, and the positioning of Quick Response Forces at strategic locations, according to the security plan shared by Lahore Police.

Crackdown and enforcement data

The pre-festival crackdown has yielded significant results, authorities said. Over the past 34 days, police registered 1,777 cases for violations of kite-flying regulations, arrested 1,872 suspects, recovered more than 102,907 kites, sealed 32 illegal manufacturing factories, and arrested 293 individuals for illegal kite and string sales.

In the last 24 hours alone, 150 cases were registered province-wide, with 157 suspects arrested and 39,667 unapproved kites confiscated.

On Thursday, Home Secretary Punjab Ahmad Javed Qazi reiterated the security instructions issued to concerned departments and the media.

According to the notification issued by his department, the necessary safety measures to be ensured under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Punjab Kite Flying Act 2025 include a complete ban on the use of metallic, chemical or plastic strings (only cotton strings permitted); kites bearing religious symbols, political party flags or portraits; aerial firing and weapons display; kite flying on government buildings, shopping malls and designated sensitive structures; and flying kites from parks, roads or public spaces, with kite flying permitted only from rooftops.

Mandatory safety requirements also include motorcycles being equipped with safety rods or protective antennas; kite dimensions limited to a maximum width of 35 inches and length of 30 inches; rooftop gatherings requiring formal registration and no-objection certificates; and the provision of free public transport to reduce motorcycle usage during peak hours.

Health and emergency preparedness

The Punjab Health Department has placed 13 government hospitals on high alert, ensuring full staffing, emergency beds and diagnostic services. Rescue 1122 has been instructed to maintain complete readiness for emergency response.

Bomb Disposal Squads and Civil Defence personnel will also remain on high alert throughout the festival. In view of the expected large influx of vehicles into Lahore, traffic arrangements have also been planned accordingly.

It is worth noting that Inspector General of Police Punjab Rao Abdul Kareem, who assumed charge recently, personally visited different areas of Lahore to review security arrangements and issued instructions for "zero tolerance to be observed for violations" to the Lahore Police command.