Lives cut short: Cash prizes for catching kite vendors

PM and Punjab CM issue instructions to strictly implement ban on kite flying after recent casualties.

FAISALABAD:

The District Coordination Officer (DCO) Naseem Sadiq has announced a cash prize of Rs10,000 for anyone who can identify people involved in the preparation, sale, purchase and storage of kite-flying materials in the district. 

Sadiq also directed the concerned department to display large posters and banners inscribed with the cash prize and information so that the authorities can act on any tip offs.

Chairing a meeting on Saturday, Sadiq directed assistant commissioners and tehsil municipal officers (TMOs) to conduct a thorough search of shops and areas where kites and kite flying equipment was being sold.

“Kite-flying is now a fatal activity. We have tried to monitor it and to make people stop using treated twine but the practice still continues,” he said. “Too many people have died just because some people wish to enjoy themselves and this cannot be tolerated,” he said.

“There is no room for the kite flyers in Faisalabad. The preparation, sale, purchase and storage of kite flying materials needs to be stopped and we will do everything in our power to eradicate the trend,” he said.

Cash prizes will now be given to people who inform the authorities about manufacturers or salesmen dealing in kites or kite-flying materials. Posters and banners inscribed with cash prize are being displayed throughout the district at prominent places.

The DCO’s measures were prompted after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani recently took notice of a case where a youth died from metal twine in Gujranwala.

Mohalla Ghazipur resident, 16-year-old Umair died while riding a motorcycle after his throat was slit open by metal twine. His friend Amir Hamza was also seriously injured on Friday. Umair and his friend were making preparations for his sister’s wedding the same day. After the incident, Gujranwala Capital Police Officer (CPO) suspended the Sabzi Mandi station house officer for not monitoring the sale of kites and kite material in his area.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also taken serious notice of the situation and has issued instructions to district officers throughout the province to strictly implement the ban on kite flying.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2012