LAHORE, Feb 16: The 24-hour Basant festival began on Saturday evening with the city reverberating with shouts of “bo kata,” music and fire crackers blasts.

The Walled City, the hub of Basant festivities, bathed in floodlights after the sunset.

Though almost all localities had Basant festivities going on, the centre of attraction was still the Walled City.

The sky was soon dotted with kites of all kind, size and colour with groups of bugles blowing buffs dancing to the tune of music and drum beats.

Many multi-national companies and official quarters arranged Basant parties at many locations in the Walled City including the historic Asif Jah Haveli in Chooney Mandi, the Lahore Fort and Delhi Gate’s Shahi Hamam.

These were attended by a number of diplomats, senior civil and army officers and business tycoons who were entertained with traditional Lahori food and music. Special arrangements were also made for their security.

The Anti-Narcotics Force arranged a Basant function at Rang Mahal’s Parking Plaza which was attended by a number of diplomats, senior army and police officers, bureaucrats and drug liaison officers of almost all foreign missions in Pakistan.

The ANF personnel released balloons in the air and organized a music programme at the plaza where families of the important people flew kites and tasted traditional food. They were also taken to different streets of the Walled City particularly the Kashmiri Bazaar.

Prominent among those attending the Basant festivities are Sindh Governor Mohammad Mian Soomro, Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider, all the provincial chief and home secretaries, IGPs and ambassadors of many countries.