Kite flyers seek early production permits

Association calls for permission from September for 2027 festival

KARACHI:

District Kite Flying Association representatives on Wednesday called for the early issuance of licences for kite manufacturers, saying sufficient time should be provided for production ahead of Basant in Lahore in 2027 to avoid the shortage faced by citizens during this year's festival.

The demand was made at a press conference following a meeting of office-bearers of the association in Allama Iqbal Town, including Chairman Khawaja Nadeem Saeed Wain, President Sheikh Saleem and other representatives.

Wain said the kite-flying business should be allowed to continue on a permanent basis and licences for manufacturers should be reissued. He said kite manufacturing should be permitted in Punjab for four to five months from September so that adequate stocks could be prepared before the festival.

"If the Basant celebration has been announced, permission for kite manufacturing should also be given," Wain said, stressing that manufacturers needed sufficient time to produce kites and strings.

He said citizens had faced difficulties in purchasing kites and strings during Basant 2026 because of limited availability and the short time available for manufacturing. The situation should not be repeated next year, he said.

Wain also said the safety of citizens would be ensured during Basant, with special measures required to protect children. He described Basant as a festival of ordinary people and said it would be celebrated with full participation.

The call comes after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced that Lahore would host Basant 2027 from March 12 to 14.

The chief minister stated in a social media post that the dates had been set following a successful Basant 2026. She invited young people from across the country to participate along with overseas Pakistanis and foreign visitors in the three-day festival.

"Lahore will once again come alive with colour, culture, festivity, music, energy and legendary hospitality," she said.

The announcement means kite manufacturers will have several months to prepare for next year's festival if the licensing and manufacturing arrangements sought by the association representatives are approved.

Basant returned to Lahore earlier this year after a prolonged ban. The festival had been banned in 2007 following deaths and injuries associated with hazardous kite strings and other unsafe practices.

The Punjab government had allowed the festival to return to Lahore in February under specified conditions.

The revival was accompanied by restrictions on kite flying, manufacturing, sale and the use of dangerous strings.

The Punjab Assembly had passed the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill 2025, providing a legal framework for regulating the activity.

The law prohibits metallic wire, nylon string and chemically or glass-coated kite strings, commonly known as manjha, and prescribes penalties for violations.

Under the legislation, violations can result in imprisonment for three to five years, a fine of up to Rs2 million or both. The offences have been declared cognizable and non-bailable.