ISLAMABAD: The government of Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, has moved to amend the Kite Flying Prohibition Ordinance 2001 in a bid to clamp down on the activity, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on Thursday.
Kite flying, a long-standing tradition in South Asia, particularly during the Basant festival, once adorned Pakistan’s skies with a myriad of colorful kites to mark the arrival of spring. However, incidents of fatalities due to razor-sharp kite strings led to a Supreme Court ban on the celebration in 2005, after several deaths and injuries caused by these dangerous strings, which are often laced with glass and chemicals.
“To prevent kite flying in Punjab, the government has decided to amend the Kite Flying Prohibition Ordinance 2001,” reported APP, noting that the Punjab Law Department has submitted a draft of the proposed amendments to the Chief Minister’s Office in consultation with the Standing Committee on Law.
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Sources cited by the state media revealed that the amended ordinance recommends imprisonment ranging from six months to three years for kite makers, along with a fine of up to Rs500,000 ($1795). Currently, the ordinance imposes a three-year imprisonment term and a fine of Rs100,000 ($359) for kite making and flying.
The report further stated, “Also in the ordinance, there will be a fine for the children while the parents of the children have also been recommended to be punished.”
Despite periodic lifts of the kite flying ban for Basant celebrations, incidents of fatalities persisted as enthusiasts continued to employ hazardous strings, posing risks to both public safety and infrastructure.
