Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Lahore’s Basant Pilot Set for Feb 6–8 Under Tight Controls

The government is treating the Lahore pilot as a tightly controlled safety test for a potential wider revival.

Overview

  • Kite flying is limited to Lahore for the three designated days, with a new prohibition near civil aviation areas to protect flight operations.
  • The cabinet authorised registered manufacturers in Faisalabad, Kasur, Multan and Sheikhupura to produce approved kites and nine-thread cotton string for registered Lahore sellers, with QR codes ensuring traceability.
  • LESCO submitted a 27-point plan to the Lahore High Court featuring round-the-clock control rooms, high-alert crews and a requirement to de-energise lines before removing kite strings.
  • Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced free travel on 419 buses, metro and Orange Line services plus 6,000 Yango rickshaws, and a main public event at Liberty Chowk on February 7.
  • Markets report strong demand — over Rs540 million in sales and 500,000 kites sold in a day — even as police outside Lahore, notably in Rawalpindi, continue arrests and seizures under ongoing bans.