February 3, 2006	Friday	Muharram 4, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: The Punjab government’s recent ordinance relaxing ban on kite flying for a specific period was challenged in the Supreme Court on Thursday. Filed under the apex court’s jurisdiction on fundamental rights, Vice President of the Islamabad Bar Association Chaudhry Masood Akhter contended that permission to kite flying for a specific period had been issued in disregard of the Supreme Court’s complete ban on kite flying.

Advocate Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry told reporters that the petition has been re-submitted before the court as the Supreme Court office had returned the petition with some objections. Now the petition has been filed after removing all the objections, he said.

The Ordinance “Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying (Amendment) Ordinance 2006” allows kite flying for 15 days by allowing kite manufacturers to produce kites and string for a month.

The petitioner contended that the recent ordinance promulgated by the Punjab government was in clear negation of apex court’s order of banning kite flying and its related business therefore the ordinance amounted to the contempt of the court.

He pleaded that the Punjab government’s permission was also contrary to Article 9 (Safety and Security of Citizens) of the Constitution which guarantee fundamental rights and the right to live a safe life.

He has made the Punjab government and the provincial law department as respondents in the petition.

The court has also been requested to hear his petition along with the main case against kite flying being heard by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on a suo motu notice.

The apex court which had taken the suo motu notice on the reports that scores of innocent children were killed every year because of kite flying, had imposed a ban on kite manufacturing, flying, selling and buying across the country. The court had also directed the provincial governments and all district nazims and Inspector-General of Police to ensure implementation of the ban.