LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced that Lahore will celebrate Basant from March 12 to 14, 2027, under strict safety regulations, including controls on the manufacture and sale of kite-flying materials, rooftop safety requirements and a ban on kite flying in designated areas near Allama Iqbal International Airport.
A notification issued by Deputy Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Ijaz on Friday, with prior approval from the provincial government, permits kite flying across the district during the three-day period, except in designated prohibited zones.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had approved a 10-day Basant festival in Lahore, describing it as a major festive gift for the city’s residents. However, no formal notification had been issued following that announcement.
The government has made digital registration mandatory for kite manufacturers, traders and sellers, while imposing restrictions on kite dimensions and the materials permitted for kite strings.
Under the announced regulations, kite flying outside the authorised dates could attract imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of Rs2 million.
The authorities have also introduced rooftop safety requirements, directing property owners to construct boundary walls at least 3.5 feet high by December 31. The district administration has been instructed to inspect old buildings and prohibit kite flying from rooftops deemed unsafe.
Under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025, the manufacture of permitted kite-flying materials is allowed from September 5, 2026, to March 14, 2027, subject to valid digital registration.
The purchase of materials from manufacturers, along with their transportation and storage, will be permitted from February 1 to March 14, 2027. Sales to the general public will be allowed from February 10 to March 14 through registered sellers only.
Manufacturers, traders and sellers must register through the Punjab government’s E-biz app or the dedicated Basant registration portal at basant.punjab.gov.pk.
Registered businesses are required to display their registration certificates at approved premises and maintain complete records of their stock, sales and movement of kite-flying materials. These records must be produced when requested by an authorised official of the deputy commissioner.
Only materials specified under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Rules 2025 and Punjab Kite Flying Regulations 2025 may be manufactured, transported, stored, sold or used during the permitted period.
The notification also sets limits on kite dimensions and specifies the composition of permissible strings.
A ‘patang’ must not exceed the prescribed dimensions of four and a half githi in width, 35 inches in width and 30 inches in length, while a ‘gudda’ must not exceed one and a half tawa, 40 inches in width and 34 inches in length, according to the notification.
Kite string, or ‘dor’, must be wound in the shape of a ‘pinna’ and made of cotton, with no more than nine threads and a minimum count of 28. The permitted coating must have a minimum glass-powder mesh size of 350.
The preparation and treatment of kite string are restricted to laundry starch, 350-mesh glass powder and rice flour. Additional chemicals, adhesives, hardeners, abrasives, metallic substances and strengthening agents are prohibited.
The manufacture, sale, transportation, storage, possession and use of ‘charkhis’, sharp ‘maanjha’, metallic wire, nylon or plastic cord, and other strings coated with sharp or injurious materials are also banned.
The Punjab home secretary has directed the Lahore district administration to ensure that rooftops used for kite flying are structurally safe before the festival.
Property owners must construct boundary walls at least 3.5 feet high by December 31 and complete necessary repairs to rooftops, parapets and stairways at permitted locations before the deadline.
The deputy commissioner has been instructed to arrange inspections of rooftops in old buildings and houses. Kite flying must be prohibited on any rooftop where an inspection report finds the structure unsafe.
Property owners will be responsible for ensuring the structural safety of their rooftops and securing electrical wires located nearby. The deputy commissioner has also been authorised to seal buildings in cases involving violations of the directions or applicable law.
In another safety measure, Lahore traffic police will install safety rods free of charge on more than two million motorcycles before Basant, according to instructions issued by the home secretary.
Motorcyclists will be required to comply with prescribed safety measures, including the installation of safety rods, under applicable regulations and Punjab Home Department guidelines.
All government departments, attached departments, agencies and organisations have been directed to assist the district administration and police in enforcing the rules. Registered kite-flying associations must also coordinate with the deputy commissioner and authorised officials to help ensure a safe festival.
Kite flying will remain prohibited in designated areas falling within the aircraft approach and take-off paths of Allama Iqbal International Airport.
The prohibited areas in the aircraft approach path include Nadirabad, Gulshan Ali Colony, Nishat Colony, Bhatta Chowk and Blocks R, S, P and Q of Defence Housing Authority Lahore.
Restrictions covering the aircraft take-off path apply to Al-Faisal Town, Jorraypul, Canal Bank Road adjacent to Tajpura and Tajpura.
The restrictions are intended to keep kite flying away from designated aircraft movement corridors. Elsewhere in Lahore, the activity will remain subject to the notification’s conditions and all applicable safety regulations.
The district administration and police have been directed to ensure strict enforcement throughout the permitted period, with the new framework covering kite-material supplies, rooftop safety, motorcycle precautions and restrictions around the airport.
