DC Cheema warns of cases to be registered against violators with up to six months imprisonment and Rs 0.5 million fine
RAWALPINDI:
Despite the strict restrictions imposed by the district administration, the Kite Association has announced that Basant will be held in Rawalpindi on February 12 and 13.
The association representatives stated that if Basant can be celebrated conditionally in Lahore, it can also be celebrated in Rawalpindi, adding that the city is not a no-go area for Basant lovers.
Kite Association President Haji Iqbal and Secretary Muhammad Tayyab said February 12 would be celebrated as Basant Night, which would begin after Maghrib prayers and continue until midnight.
During this time, only white kites would be flown, ‘Bo Kata’ slogans would be raised, barbecues would be held on rooftops and firecrackers and aerial shooting would also be carried out. They stated that chemical and metallic ropes would be banned.
They further said that February 13 would be marked as a full ‘Basant Day’, which would begin after Friday prayers and continue till sunset. Kite flying would be carried out from the roofs of houses, shops, squares and in open fields. Kite enthusiasts have already started placing orders for kites and strings from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while production has resumed at warehouses in the city centre. Merchants have also started accepting reservations through social media and offering home delivery.
In Rawalpindi, supplies of kites from neighboring areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa including Haripur, Abbottabad and Khanpur have increased. There are also reports that several police officers are involved in supplying kites and strings.
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Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema said that Basant, sale and flying of kites are strictly prohibited and no one will be allowed to celebrate Basant.
He warned that cases will be registered against violators, with penalties of up to six months in prison and fines of up to Rs 500 million. Action will also be taken against parents. Orders have been issued to stop Basant celebrations.
The city police officer said SHOs of all 34 police stations in the district have been given strict instructions to carry out daily crackdown on the sale of kites and strings. Anti-kite teams have been formed at every police station and strict checks have been imposed at entry points from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Confiscated kites will be destroyed immediately.
On Basant days, special teams will be deployed to stop kite flyers by accessing rooftops via ladders from outside.
Following Basant’s announcement, the prices of kites and strings have increased considerably. A small single kite is sold for Rs 150, a medium one for Rs 300 and a high quality large kite for Rs 500. Prices of ropes range between Rs 2,700 and Rs 4,000, while 70 per cent of ropes available in the open market are reportedly metallic and prepared with chemicals.
A police spokesperson said an anti-kite flying operation is underway across the city. During the past week, 8,643 kites and 3,985 strings were seized and 29 suspects were arrested and sent to Adiala jail.
