After the 21-year ban, while the privileged classes celebrated the occasion in style, grieving households were left
A large number of people selecting and purchasing kites to celebrate the upcoming three-day kite flying festival (Basant) at the local market in the provincial capital. PHOTO: APP
LAHORE:
Basant, once a symbol of culture and community, now feels like a kitsch spectacle for the elite. Amid deafening music and flashy displays, the festival became a staged moment on social media rather than a shared celebration. But beneath this surface lies a grim but familiar reality. While the elites pose for the reels, it is the poor who pay with their lives.
In the first week of February 2026, a three-day Basant festival was held in Lahore after the government temporarily lifted a 21-year ban through an ordinance allowing kite flying under certain conditions. While official records of the Home Department reported 17 dead and 160 injured, Express PAkGazette sources revealed that the death toll may be as high as 21.
Most deaths occurred from falls from roofs, with victims aged between 15 and 30 years. Some also died from electrocution or falling from trees. Specifically, 12 people died after falling from roofs, while three died from electric shocks. Despite safety measures such as the ban on metal cords and the installation of protective bars on motorcycles, more than 120 accidents were recorded in which more than 160 people were injured.
The family of Zain Malik, who died after falling from a roof, felt that Basant had destroyed their house. “No government official has contacted us and we have not been provided with any financial assistance.” Similarly, Ahmed’s father, who was electrocuted, criticized the government for organizing the festival to please the elite while poor families lost their children, without receiving any compensation or support.
Public policy advisor and social activist Salman Abid opined that in reality, the Basant festival, which was organized through an ordinance and limited to three days in Lahore, benefited only the privileged class. “Despite the government’s claims, kite flying continues beyond the permitted period and authorities have failed to enforce the ban. Although 17 deaths have been officially acknowledged, reports suggest as many as 24 deaths and no compensation has been given to the affected families,” Abid said.
Meanwhile, the government is reported to have generated Rs 3,000-4,000 crore in revenue during this period. It is estimated that sales of kites and strings alone generated between Rs 2 and 2,500 crore. The government had reportedly allowed more than 5,000 vendors to sell kites and strings.
A Punjab government spokesperson claimed that the festival was allowed only for three days with defined SOPs and cases were registered against violators. “A committee is considering compensating the families of the 17 victims. Revenue of up to Rs 3,000 crore was generated and people enjoyed the festival. The government plans to organize a ‘Safe Basant’ next year,” the official said.
According to the Punjab Home Department, in 2026 alone, more than 8,000 people were arrested and more than 7,200 cases were registered for violations related to kite flying, mainly in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. A zero tolerance policy applies.
Records show kite flying and making were first banned in Punjab in 2005, after more than 25 deaths. The ban was lifted intermittently in 2006 and 2007, but due to rising deaths, it was reimposed in 2007. By 2024, more than 2,020 people had lost their lives due to this deadly activity. More than 90 percent of deaths occurred due to chemical-coated ropes cutting into the neck or face.
Despite its deadly history, Basant is still celebrated annually in cities like Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan and others. On an average, at least eight people die every year on a single day of Basant celebrations.
