In the
Punjab province of Pakistan, Basant is considered to be a seasonal festival, celebrated in spring. The festival marks the commencement of the spring season. In the Punjab region (including the Punjab province of Pakistan), Basant Panchami has been a long-established tradition of flying kites and holding fairs, but due to deaths caused by dangerous kite strings and other dangerous practices, the Punjab government banned it from 2007 until February 2026. On the
Pothohar Plateau in northern Punjab, Basant is celebrated with the flying of kites, with one of the largest kite-flying events held annually in
Rawalpindi. Even during the ban on flying kites, kite enthusiasts still continued to celebrate the festival there. According to
The Express Tribune, "in spite of a ban, kites of all sorts, spindles, twines are available freely in the old city area" of Rawalpindi in 2020. People also light fireworks and play loud music.
Urbanisation and kite flying Competitive
kite flying (
patang bazi) became increasingly associated with Basant during the late colonial and post-colonial periods, particularly in large cities. While kites had long been used across Asia for recreation and ritual purposes, their association with Basant in Punjab developed gradually as part of urban seasonal celebration rather than as an original or universal feature of the festival. By the mid-20th century, Basant in major urban centres had evolved into a public festival characterised by rooftop gatherings, music, and competitive kite flying, reflecting broader processes of urbanisation and popular culture.
Lahore emerged as a major centre for Basant celebrations, with rooftops and open spaces filled with kite flyers, music, and seasonal fairs. Scholars note that this transformation redefined Basant from a largely agricultural marker into a large-scale urban festival, while similar spring celebrations persisted in other regions under different names and forms.
Safety and regulation In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Basant celebrations—particularly those involving kite-flying—became associated with public safety concerns. The use of sharp, glass-coated or chemically treated kite strings (commonly known as
manjha or
dor) resulted in injuries and fatalities among pedestrians, motorcyclists, birds, and participants. Additional risks included falls from rooftops, electrocution from contact with overhead power lines, and damage to infrastructure. Environmental concerns have also been raised regarding waste generation, noise pollution, and harm to wildlife caused by synthetic materials. As a result, authorities in several cities imposed bans or restrictions on kite flying during Basant, while debates continue regarding regulation, cultural preservation, and public safety.
Ban The date of the Basant kite festival in Punjab, Pakistan until 2007 was determined by the authorities using the Punjabi calendar, always on a Sunday and usually at the end of February or the beginning of March. In 2007, the festival was banned, primarily because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries. These had various causes related to the festival, including: Another reason cited for the ban was the cost to the electricity power transmission system related to In 2004,
Nawa-i-waqt, a Pakistani daily, opposed Basant celebrations in Pakistan, arguing that the festival celebrated
Haqiqat Rai's insult of Muhammad. One major reason for the ban was the challenge by a lawyer from Lahore of the Basant in the
Lahore High Court on religious grounds. To persuade the court, the lawyer asserted that Basant was a solely Hindu celebration, and he also mentioned the loss of life and electronic goods as a result of the Basant. As a result, Basant was outlawed in the city in 2005. But upon the province-wide lift on the ban in 2025, the Punjab government rejected the claim of the festival being a solely 'Hindu' one, and cited it being a solely 'Punjabi' festival.
Revival Although the revival of the festival was widely reported in Pakistan since 2017, the uplifting of the ban was not made official by the
Government of Punjab until December 2025. The revival is due to its importance in
Punjabi culture, but restrictions were applied. After a 19-year ban, the festival took place in February 2026 over three days and was limited to Lahore. The festival was strictly monitored with rules around kite sales and flying. Motorcyclists were given metal rods to stick between the handlebars of their bikes to prevent any threads becoming tied around their necks while they drove. Nets were placed over selected streets to prevent kite strings from falling onto power lines. Larger kites were also banned. The sale of kites was managed, with any kites for sale before the first of February seized by police. Police monitored rooftops using drones and positioning CCTV cameras to observe rooftops. Outside Lahore, Basant activity was also reported in other cities despite the official restriction. In
Rawalpindi, residents defied the ban with rooftop kite flying. Police registered cases against flyers and sellers, made several arrests, and recovered hundreds of kites and string reels as they sought to enforce the prohibition on unauthorized kite flying. In Quetta, a separate three-day Basant event also began; authorities urged citizens to celebrate safely under police guidance. Though held in Balochistan, the event brought the traditions of the Punjabi spring festival to the city. Several well-known figures and celebrities posted the celebrations in social media. On 9 February 2026, Punjab Chief Minister
Maryam Nawaz praised the citizens for their responsible engagement in making the festival a success and characterized it as an essential component of Punjab's legacy. She added that it revived Lahore's cultural identity and ignited wider public interest. On 16 February, 165 kite flyers and dealers were arrested by police from all city police stations and brought before courts for breaching the Basant ban. Violations included yelling slogans on megaphones, bursting firecrackers, flying kites, and participating in aerial gunfire. On 25 February, the Punjab government informed the
Lahore High Court that 17 individuals were killed in the city during the three-day festival. ==In popular culture==