LAHORE: President of All Pakistan Paper Merchants Association (APPMA) and founder of Kite Flying Festival in Pakistan. Khawaja Nadeem Saeed Wayeen said that Kite flying industry has the potential to inject new blood to the economy of Punjab. It would not bring billion rupees in circulation but would also drag in thousands tourists and huge foreign investment.
“Kite Flying festival could be made harmless through joint efforts of the All Pakistan Kite Flying Association (AKFA), All Pakistan Paper Merchants Association (APPMA) and Punjab government therefore Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif should constitute a high-powered committee at the earliest”.
In a statement issued here, Khawaja Nadeem Saeed Wain said that AKFA appreciates the Punjab government efforts aimed at revival of economic activities. He said that Kite Flying Festival would supplement the government efforts and will make Punjab an attractive destination for the foreigners.
He said that restoration of kite flying festival will not only highlight soft image of the country but can also give Punjab government revenue of billions rupees for its development projects. Therefore a high-powered committee, headed by MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, should be formed at the earliest.
He said that Hamza Shahbaz Sharif is the most favorite person to head proposed committee as he is young leader, have vast experience and well aware of the social and economic issues.
“I have given the proposal of establishment of Kite City well out of the cities to the Punjab government but bureaucracy has never even bothered to reply to this regard”, he said.
He said that thousands women were earning income by making kites at their homes but now sitting idle because of a complete ban on Kite Flying Festival.
He said that Kite making was attained the status of cottage industry and providing employment to thousands women who were earning handsome money for their bread and butter by making kite at their homes. He said that these thousands women and their families are compelled for starvation due to ban on Kite Flying Festival.
He said that around 150,000 people in Lahore, 100,000 people in Gujranwala and 80,000 people in Kasur, affiliated with Kite Flying industry, have lost their employment and facing hunger.
He lamented that some very sad incidents took place due to involvement of elements with the vested interests and cultural activity became a bloody game but instead of dealing with them with an iron hand, the festival was done away with altogether. They said that ban was not solution of the problem.
He appealed to the Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif to review rules and regulations for kite flying and order to establish Kite City/Kite Flying Zone at a safe place outside Lahore that would not only revive the employment of millions people but would also undo the negative image of the country in particular and Punjab in general.
He said that move would promote tourism at the one hand while also attract foreign investment in the Province of Punjab at the other.
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