LAHORE (MNN); The Punjab government has formally notified the rules for the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance, 2025, but has yet to finalise the scale of kite-flying activities in Lahore and other districts of the province.
Despite earlier announcements, the government has also not officially notified the proposed dates for the three-day Basant festival, tentatively planned from February 6, 2026, in Lahore and elsewhere.
Following the notification of rules, the Punjab Assembly is expected to take up the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025, for approval during its session on Monday.
Sources in the Punjab Home Department said meetings are underway to determine the extent of Basant celebrations. Options under consideration include allowing kite flying across Lahore, restricting it to specific grounds, or permitting it on designated rooftops, including selected locations within the Walled City.
Officials confirmed that deputy commissioners across Punjab have been directed to register kite and string manufacturers, traders and sellers, and to inform the government about their preparedness to hold Basant events in their respective districts.
While Basant was traditionally celebrated in cities such as Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad, deputy commissioners will formally convey whether they intend to observe the festival on the dates announced by the provincial government or propose alternative schedules.
The Basant festival was banned in Punjab in 2007 during the tenure of then chief minister Shehbaz Sharif after a surge in fatalities and serious injuries caused by sharp and prohibited kite strings. The current provincial government is now working to revive the festival on the recommendation of PML-N leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, following consultations with stakeholders.
At present, kite flying remains banned across Punjab and will only be permitted on specified days and at designated locations after the passage of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025.
Under the proposed law, the use, manufacture, transport, storage and sale of kites flown with metallic wires, nylon cords or glass-coated and other sharp strings are strictly prohibited. Violators involved in kite flying may face imprisonment of three to five years or fines of up to Rs2 million, while those manufacturing or selling banned materials could be punished with five to seven years in prison and fines reaching Rs5 million.
The bill authorises deputy commissioners to allow permissible kite flying on approved days and locations under strict conditions, though sharp or metallic strings will remain banned in all circumstances.
Rules and registration process
According to the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Rules, 2025, authorised manufacturers, traders and sellers must apply to their respective deputy commissioners along with the required documents. Kite-flying associations may also register through an online application submitted by their president or general secretary.
Deputy commissioners are required to verify applications within 10 days and, upon approval, issue registration certificates valid for one year. The rules reiterate a complete ban on strings coated with sharp materials.
The government has also introduced a non-refundable annual registration fee, set at Rs1,000 for manufacturers, traders and sellers, and Rs5,000 for kite-flying associations.
Specifications for permitted kites have been defined. A patang may not exceed 35 inches in width and 30 inches in length, while a gudda must not be larger than 40 inches in width and 34 inches in length. The dor must be made of cotton, consist of no more than nine threads and not less than 28 counts, and must be wound into a ball, as spools are prohibited.
Safety concerns remain significant. In July last year, a 13-year-old boy was electrocuted in Kasur while attempting to catch a stray kite attached to a metal string. In March, a motorcyclist in Faisalabad died after a metal string from a stray kite cut his throat.
Following such incidents, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered strict action against those involved in kite flying, and in August 2024 the provincial government declared kite making, flying and transportation as non-bailable offences.
