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The festival of Basant has been observed in the Punjab region of the sub-continent since pre-colonial times. It marks the onset of Spring, which is traditionally celebrated by flying kites, eating sweet dishes and wearing the color yellow.
However, following serious injuries and deaths, the government banned the practice in 2007.
The threats are attributed to the usage of metal wires or threads coated in glass. Any stray thread can get caught up in the pedestrians or motorcycle riders causing major injuries.
Despite the ban and the run in with the law enforcement agencies, Basant continues to be celebrated across Pakistan as a cultural festival endangering lives.
People argue that since the ban, those associated with the kite manufacturing business have gone jobless or have resorted to illegal means of production and distribution of kites and strings.
Being a cultural festival, it used to be a gateway to tourism as people from around the world gathered to witness kite flying on such a huge scale. Thus, also contributing to the economy.
Although, public safety is the utmost priority of the state, people have celebrated Basant for centuries now and to completely ban the practice does not in any way ensure that people will refrain from it.
Many are caught every year and charges are filed against them but it really isn’t helping the situation to get better!
Read: The Lost Sport Of Winter – Kite Flying
Instead of banning it completely, the festival should be regulated on a national level with government interventions such as registered vendors and ban on the production of chemical and glass coated strings.
The event should take place in open spaces rather than rooftops to avoid any chance of casualties.
This would be an effective approach to cater the problem rather than banning it. And over years, it has been proved that putting a ban doesn’t ensure the safety of people because people celebrate it anyway!
What do you think? Should the basant festival be completely banned or rather regulated? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
