The Punjab government has announced that the Basant festival will be celebrated only in Lahore and on a limited scale, ruling out province-wide celebrations despite earlier expectations.
Basant will return to Lahore after 18 years following the passage of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025, approved by the provincial assembly on December 24.
The Lahore deputy commissioner has notified a three-day festival from February 6 to 8, 2026, while kite flying will remain strictly banned in all other districts.
The decision was confirmed during the 46th Cabinet Committee on Law and Order meeting, chaired by Khawaja Salman Rafique, at the Punjab Home Department. Punjab Home Secretary Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi told the meeting that the provincial cabinet approved Basant exclusively for Lahore, with zero tolerance elsewhere.
Senior officials, including divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners, attended the meeting via video link specifically to discuss Basant-related arrangements.
Officials clarified that any kite flying outside Lahore would violate the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance, 2025, and invite strict legal action.
Authorities described the Lahore event as a pilot project, warning that any serious accident could result in a permanent ban on the festival. The government urged citizens to ensure safety and prevent illegal activities during celebrations.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed public transport operators to offer free bus and rickshaw rides during the festival and advised limiting motorcycle use.
The government may also deploy buses from colleges and universities to manage traffic.
Meanwhile, the Home Department issued directives across the province to crack down on illegal kite flying, citing injuries caused by chemical-coated and metal kite strings. Officials warned that violators, including kite flyers and manufacturers, could face arrest.
The renewed crackdown follows multiple recent incidents, including the injury of a six-year-old girl in Kasur, whose throat was slashed by a chemical-coated kite string while riding a motorcycle.