Rawalpindi intensifies Basant crackdown

Over 120 cases registered, more than 160 arrested

RAWALPINDI:

Police of all city police stations produced 165 arrested kite flyers and sellers before courts for violating the ban on Basant, engaging in aerial firing, bursting firecrackers, chanting slogans on megaphones and kite flying and selling.

A large crowd gathered outside civil judges' courts in the katcheri.

The courts reprimanded kite flyers and also admonished the parents present in the courtroom. Most of the arrested were minors who stated that they were not flying kites but were arrested while collecting fallen kites.

One to three kites were recovered from them.

Parents alleged that influential kite flyers were released from police stations after paying Rs5,000 to Rs8,000. Former councillors and city leaders of the ruling party allegedly benefited in this regard, while cases were registered against those who did not comply.

Area magistrates granted bail to 102 arrested children after stern warnings.

Forty-eight kite sellers and kite flyers were sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand. Hearings on bail applications of those from whom larger quantities of kites and string were recovered were adjourned till Monday after record was summoned.

Police registered 124 cases and made 165 arrests during Basant.

A game of cat and mouse continued throughout the day between police and kite flyers. The ban on Basant appeared ineffective as the sky of Rawalpindi remained filled with colourful kites, including political slogan kites, "Prisoner 804" and kites bearing pictures of Imran Khan.

From afternoon till night, aerial firing and firecrackers echoed across rooftops throughout the city. Intense firing left nine persons injured. Police seized 4,245 kites and 1,400 strings.

Police teams patrolled the city, while areas including Committee Mohallah, Lato Mohallah, Dhoke Khaba, Dhoke Farman Ali, Arya Mohallah, Shah Chan Chiragh, Amarpura, Bagh Sardaran, Chah Sultan, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Bahari Colony, Dhoke Kala Khan, Raja Sultan locality, Imambargah Mohallah, Jhungi Mohallah, Nyarian, Raja Bazaar, Bohar Bazaar and Millat Colony remained active with kite flying.

Police were alleged to have remained largely ineffective, with claims that arrested youths were released upon payment of Rs5,000.

Political workers and former councillors reportedly secured release of detainees by paying money at police stations. Most of those arrested were students, while kite flyers also arrived from Islamabad and Cantonment areas to celebrate Basant.

The Kite Association stated that it had appealed for a peaceful Basant on the Lahore model without metallic string, but cases were registered and attacks carried out against them.

Kite flyers defied the ban imposed under Section 144. All arrested persons were to be presented before courts.