Kite ban lifted in Pakistan

A two year kite ban has been lifted in Lahore, Pakistan in time for the Basant festival, according to Daily Times.

The Basant festival, which will run from 24-25 February this year, is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the Lahore celebration is famous for its tradition of kite flying and battles.

Kite flying was banned in Pakistan in 2005 after a number of deaths and serious injuries from spectators and contenders falling off roofs, being cut by glass-coated kite strings or electrocuted by power lines.

The Punjab government is hoping to avoid such tragedies in this year’s festival by enforcing strict regulations on kites and kite strings. However, the ban is expected to be reintroduced after the festival.

A trip to Lahore is unfortunately not on the cards for me this year, so if anyone is going, I’d love to see your pictures or hear your story if you’re a contender. Just leave a comment below.

While we’re on the subject of kite flying, if you haven’t yet read The Kite Runner (aff. link) by Kaled Hosseini, I highly recommend it. Not so much for the details of kite-fighting in Afghanistan, but more for a beautifully narrated, if very sad story that is bound to pull at your heart strings.

Sad Update

I am very sad to have learned that 18 people were killed during the 2007 Basant.

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