Basant permission challenged in Lahore High Court 

LAHORE: A notification allowing the conditional celebration of Basant has been challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC), ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The petition was filed by lawyer Azhar Siddique, arguing that the notification permits the celebration of Basant for three days under certain conditions.

The petition states that kite flying has previously resulted in loss of lives and serious injuries. It further points out that only two days ago, a two-year-old girl was critically injured after her throat was cut by a kite string.

The petitioner has requested the LHC to declare null and void the notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner granting permission to celebrate Basant, citing serious risks to public safety.

It is to be noted that Lahore granted conditional permission for Basant, subject to stringent safety regulations on Monday.

The deputy commissioner of Lahore formally issued a notification approving the holding of Basant 2026. Under the notification, kite flying will be permitted in Lahore exclusively on 6, 7 and 8 February, while the sale of kite-flying materials will be allowed from 1 to 8 February 2026.

The Deputy Commissioner has directed the police and district administration to launch a strict crackdown against prohibited kite strings. The manufacture and sale of spools (charkhis) have been banned, and only paper-based string will be permitted. A zero-tolerance policy will be enforced against the use of nylon, plastic or metal wire.

In a statement, the Deputy Commissioner said that the protection of human life remains the administration’s top priority. He urged parents to ensure that children do not use banned kite strings.