Punjab to celebrate three-day Basant festival from Feb 6
Sources say special QR codes to be issued for kites and strings; aerial firing prohibited across province
December 10, 2025
- Govt prohibits firing and unruly behaviour during festival.
- LHC rejects plea for immediate ordinance suspension.
- Court directs govt lawyer to submit report on Dec 22.
LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday announced that the three-day Basant festival will be celebrated from February 6 to 8, 2026, permitting kite flying under strict safety and regulatory measures across the province.
The announcement comes just days after the provincial government issued an ordinance, ending a 25-year ban on kite flying in the province.
Sources said that special QR codes will be issued for kites and strings, and no aerial firing or unruly behaviour will be tolerated.
Recently, the Lahore High Court rejected a plea requesting immediate suspension of the ordinance, instructing the government's lawyer to submit a report on December 22 regarding the festival preparations.
Although Punjab banned kite flying in 2001, numerous people have died over the years from injuries caused by chemical- or metal-coated kite strings.
The government has now allowed the celebrations, with kite flying permitted using only a string made purely from cotton.
The provincial government has vowed severe penalties for the use of metal chemically coated strings.
Under the new ordinance, people using hazardous strings in Lahore may face a minimum of three and a maximum of five years in prison, along with fines of up to Rs2 million.
The ordinance also emphasised the need for safety measures for motorcyclists.
Children under 18 years of age will not be allowed to fly kites and parents or guardians will be held responsible if a child violates the restriction.
For children under 18, the first offence will carry a fine of Rs50,000, increasing to Rs100,000 for the second.
Failure to pay will result in action against the parent or guardian, it said, adding that kite-flying associations will be required to register with the district’s deputy commissioner, while kites may only be purchased from registered shopkeepers.
Each registered seller will be linked to a QR code, and kites themselves will also carry QR codes to identify the seller, it added.
Manufacturers of kite string will similarly undergo registration, with QR codes enabling their identification, as per the ordinance.
