At least one person lost his life and seven others were injured in a series of kite-related incidents across Lahore as the Basant spring festival resumed after a ban that had remained in place for nearly two decades in Punjab.
Basant was prohibited in the early 2000s after authorities linked the festivities to numerous fatalities and injuries caused by metal- or glass-coated kite strings and celebratory gunfire. Despite restrictions, the revival of kite-flying once again raised serious safety concerns.
According to rescue officials, 25-year-old Ali Rashid died near the Sikh Nullah area after climbing an electricity pole to retrieve a kite. He was electrocuted during the attempt and succumbed to his injuries. His body was later handed over to his family following completion of legal formalities.
Several others sustained serious injuries due to stray kite strings. In Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA), a 21-year-old man suffered neck injuries after coming into contact with a loose string. In Gulshan-e-Ravi, eight-year-old Irha was critically injured when a kite string became entangled around her neck while she was riding a motorcycle with her father.
In another incident, a 45-year-old man sustained facial and neck injuries when a kite string struck him while he was riding a bike. Others accidents included people falling from rooftops, trees, and sustaining cuts while chasing or retrieving kites in various parts of the city, highlighting the ongoing risks associated with the activity.
