Overview
- Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz extended festivities in Lahore until 5:00am, calling the extra hours a reward for residents who followed safety SOPs.
- Officials reported broad compliance, saying no banned metallic or nylon strings were confirmed as police, Safe City cameras and thermal drones enforced rules and motorcycle safety rods.
- Safety concerns persisted, with confirmed incidents including fatal falls by a teenager and a journalist in Lahore and an electrocution case near Baghbanpura.
- Large crowds included overseas visitors, celebrities and senior political figures, with US and UK diplomats joining locals for kite flying and cultural programs.
- The rollout featured 10,000+ police, 1,200 rescue staff, 200 mobile clinics and 21 field hospitals, and authorities later tallied nearly 900,000 vehicle entries and about 1.4 million free transit rides as some official events were canceled after the Islamabad blast.