Nawaz, CM Maryam offer condolences to family of kite string victim

FAISALABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz visited the residence of Asif Shafiq, a young man who passed away a few days back after a kite string slit his throat, ARY News reported.

Nawaz Sharif and CM Maryam condoled with the bereaved family residing in Railway Housing Colony Samanabad.

Nawaz Sharif urged for coordinated actions to curb the menace. “We all should play a collective role to stop kite flying with sharp string,” he said and added that the horrific video of Asif breathing his last cannot be watched.

CM Maryam Nawaz said that to fully eradicate the ‘evil’ of kite flying with razor-sharp string, the Punjab government has issued directives for taking strong action against the production, distribution, and acquisition of metallic and chemically coated thread.

Before the visit, Nawaz Sharif and the chief minister also chaired a meeting regarding the law and order situation in Faisalabad.

PML-N leaders, MPAs, and law enforcement representatives attended a high-level meeting. Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were briefed that authorities in Faisalabad are cracking down on kite and string makers, just like in other regions of Punjab.

Meanwhile, the police have unearthed a network of online kite sales and arrested five accused involved in a string killing incident in Faisalabad, said City Police Officer (CPO) Muhammad Ali Zia.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, he said that Asif Shafiq of Samanabad was en route on the Novelty overhead bridge in the Factory Area police limits when the string caused a serious injury to his throat, killing him on the spot.

The police with the help of CCTV footage traced that an accused Muhammad Abid Gujjar resident of Sir Syed Town was flying a kite on the rooftop of Punjab Bank on the same day.