LAHORE: After 18 years, the skies over Lahore are ready to light up again. Children run through narrow streets, chasing strings of colorful kites, while shopkeepers call out to customers from crowded stalls. The city is buzzing with excitement as people prepare for the three-day Basant festival from February 6 to 8. Over the past three days, kite and string sales have already crossed Rs54 crore.
On Tuesday alone, the Kite Flying Association said more than 500,000 kites were sold in the city. In workshops across Punjab, artisans are working late into the night, cutting and tying kites that are bright, strong, and affordable. Peshawar’s historic YakaToot Bazaar is also working overtime, sending thousands of kites and strings to Lahore ahead of the festival.
Basant has always been a time when the city comes alive. For decades, people looked forward to the thrill of colorful kites soaring in the sky, the shouts and cheers, and the friendly rivalries across rooftops. The festival had been banned nearly two decades ago after accidents with sharp strings raised serious safety concerns.
Now, under the Punjab Kite Flying Ordinance 2025, kite flying is back with rules. Metal and chemical-coated strings are banned, and all kite makers and sellers must be registered. Authorities have also set clear safety measures for the three-day festival to avoid accidents that had once led to its ban.
