09 January 2004	Friday	16 Ziqa'ad 1424

LAHORE, Jan 8: The committee, constituted by the City District Government for reviewing the ban on kite-flying, has proposed conditional lifting of ban and a legislation for preventing losses by the use of metal, chemical and glasspowder-coated twine.

Of the 18 members, eight proposed imposition of permanent ban on the sport in the provincial metropolis while 10 favoured conditional relaxation after formulating rules to prevent losses to human life and power supply system.

A meeting was held here on Thursday with District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood in the chair. The Nazim did not cast his vote. The committee was of the view that it could be effectively controlled if the legislators, bureaucrats and known social figures did not promote it and the media stopped giving it prominent coverage. Sale of kites and thread should also be restricted only to the Basant days under licence.

Some of the members proposed permanent ban on kite-flying in urban areas, restricting to open spaces like the Jallo Park, Raiwind Road, Lahore Park, Pakistan Defence Ground, Kot Abdul Malik and Shahdara Ground.

Those desirous of flying kites at the specified grounds and open spaces should pay the prescribed fee. They also wanted complete ban on use of metal wire and imposition of heavy fines on those causing power supply disruptions.

The committee also proposed constitution of bodies comprising kite-flying association, Lesco and police at union council level to ban the sport and disconnection of power supply to the houses where the ban was flouted. The kite makers and dealers should be helped in adopting any other business for making a living, it proposed.

The meeting was attended by Senator Dr Khalid Ranjha, District Naib Nazim Farooq Amjad Mir, DCO Khalid Sultan, Ravi Town Nazim Amer Munir, The Nation Editor Arif Nizami, Daily Khabrain Chief Editor Zia Shahid, Daily Pakistan Chief Editor Mujibur Rahman Shami, Punjab Bar Council VC Arif Chaudhry, Kite-flying Association President Malik Muhammad Shafi, Kite Dealers Association chairman Khwaja Nadeem, Lesco Chief Engineer Sharif Ansari, EDO (community development) Zahid Aziz Khan and SSP (operations) Aftab Cheema.