SOPs in place to stability cultural revival and public security as Basant is about to be celebrated from February 6 to eight
The Lahore district administration has formally accepted the conditional revival of Basant in 2026, permitting kite flying underneath an in depth set of security rules aimed toward defending lives whereas restoring one of many metropolis’s most celebrated cultural traditions.
Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza issued a notification allowing Basant celebrations inside the district limits scheduled for February 6, 7 and eight. The transfer marks a big coverage shift after years of restrictions, with authorities emphasising that the competition will proceed underneath strict enforcement of security legal guidelines and regulatory oversight.
In line with the notification, kite flying shall be allowed completely on the three designated days, whereas the manufacture, commerce and sale of accepted kite-flying materials shall be regulated via a compulsory registration system. Producers, merchants and sellers should full digital registration by way of the e-Biz utility or the official portal basant.punjab.gov.pk, with the registration course of already underneath approach.
The administration specified that the manufacturing and commerce of kite-flying materials shall be permitted from December 30, 2025 via February 8, 2026. Retail sale to the general public, nonetheless, shall be restricted to February 1 via February 8. Solely registered distributors shall be authorised to promote kite-flying materials and all certificates should be displayed prominently at enterprise premises.
Authorities have imposed a ban on spools and all types of hazardous kite string, together with nylon, plastic, metallic wire, chemical-coated or glass-coated maanjha.
Solely cotton string assembly strict technical specs shall be allowed, and it should be wound in a spherical type referred to as ‘pinna’. Every pinna will carry a singular QR code to make sure traceability and verification.
The notification additionally defines permissible kite dimensions. A ‘patang’ could not exceed 35 inches in width and 30 inches in size, whereas a ‘guda’ should be 40 inches in width and 34 inches in size.
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Any deviation from these limits will invite authorized motion underneath the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance 2025.
In an added security measure, motorbike riders shall be required to put in protecting security wires on their two-wheelers to scale back the danger of accidents attributable to stray strings. Regulation enforcement companies and district officers have been instructed to launch crackdowns in opposition to the sale or use of prohibited supplies, with a zero-tolerance coverage in place.
Talking on the revival, Deputy Commissioner Musa Raza stated Basant is a cultural hallmark of Lahore however burdened that public security stays the administration’s high precedence.
“Basant is a part of Lahore’s heritage. Making it protected is our collective duty,” he stated, including that enterprise operators could start lawful business exercise from Tuesday after finishing all registration necessities.
Normal working procedures have been issued for district administration officers, police, kite-flying associations and residents. Kite-flying associations, in search of to function in the course of the competition, should additionally register on-line and meet prescribed standards, together with a minimal membership requirement and a dedication to selling protected practices and public consciousness.
Officers stated the framework goals to strike a stability between cultural revival and citizen security. Any particular person or enterprise discovered manufacturing, storing, transporting or promoting unapproved materials with out registration will face penalties, seizure of products and authorized proceedings.
With the notification now in impact, authorities say preparations are underneath approach to make sure that Basant 2026 is widely known as a regulated, safe and community-oriented occasion — restoring a long-silenced custom whereas prioritising the safety of lives and public order.
