Basant returns after 19 years: Why did Pakistan ban the iconic kite festival in 2005 and what has changed now? | Here's the reason

Pakistan Kite Festival: Lahore's night sky was filled with vibrant colors as the city relaunched the Basant kite-flying festival after a nearly two-decade ban. Authorities said Friday that the celebration has been allowed only under strict safety regulations, warning that the use of hazardous kite strings that endanger lives could lead to arrests.

Kite-flying had been banned in the province since 2005 following a series of fatal accidents. Razor-sharp metal- or glass-coated strings used in competitive kite fighting killed about a dozen people, mostly motorcyclists and bystanders two decades ago, prompting the government to impose broad restrictions across Punjab and effectively halt Basant. This year, officials say strict safety measures are in place.

Motorcyclists are required to install tall, antenna-like metal rods on their bikes to prevent airborne strings from causing injury. The provincial government also declared a two-day public holiday to reduce traffic and lower accident risks.

The government of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif recently lifted the ban, emphasising that the festival's revival would be strictly regulated and violators could face fines or imprisonment.

As midnight marked the start of the two-day celebration, rooftops across the city came alive with families and friends launching vibrant kites into the cool night air.

"We're finally seeing it again after so many years," said Ashfaq Ahmed, 23, flying a kite from his rooftop in Lahore's old city. "If people avoid dangerous strings, hopefully this joyful festival can continue safely in the future."

In a message on X, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz posted a view of video monitors at the Lahore Basant Control Room and appealed to people to "stay away from electrical wires and transformers" and to make sure that their "rooftops are secure."

Families and friends ⁠crammed through the night onto the rooftops of the Walled City and other neighbourhoods, flying kites, beating drums and shouting out "bo-kata!", or "hacked!", the victor's cry after severing an opponent's string, Reuters reported.

Abdul Aziz, 57, a self-described kite-flying addict, had been bereft during the ban. "Today, when I dropped ‌the first kite in air, I felt as if there was a space in ‍my life that was now filled," as quoted by Reuters.

Sharmeen Mehmood, 55, an avid kite-flyer since she was 10, said the action had been at its most exciting in the darkness, slowing down with dawn as rooftop revelers sought some rest and the wind eased off, but expected to pick up again ‍later.