FAISALABAD: The city returned to the basant mode on Thursday night and Friday when kite flying enthusiasts of the city dotted the skyline with colourful kites of different sizes amid blaring music and festivity in the air.

The police kept on patrolling the city roads with ladders on the vehicles, and they took into custody several enthusiasts, however, the festival went ahead with its traditional zeal and zest.

There is a ban on kite flying under the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Act of 2009.

The event, however, remained peaceful barring a couple of incidents of injuries.

In one incident, Usman (13), of Lal Mills Chowk, fell from the roof while capturing a stray kite and was taken to the Allied Hospital.

Also, Awais Muneer (19), suffered a string cut on his throat when he was going on a motorcycle near Gate Chowk on Sattiana Road, Rescue 1122 said.

There were occasional gunshots competing with blaring music.

Two women sustained injuries when stray bullets hit them in as many incidents on Friday.

Rescue 1122 personnel said Mehwish (35) sustained a bullet injury in Sheikh Colony on Jhang Road while Saeeda was hit by a stray bullet in Gulshan Ali Town, D Type Colony. Both injured were at their house rooftops when stray bullets hit them.

Both were being treated at Allied and district headquarters hospitals.

Other than this incident, families across the city had get-together parties on rooftops.

The police said it was the responsibility of the public to be law-abiding people but it was ironic that at majority of the places, whole families were in flying kites and raising slogans.

Zeeshan Ali, a teacher, said the people should know the other side of kite flying where it could claim people’s lives. Students’ attendance remained thin in both private and public educational institutions on Friday. The festivity attracted people from all ages and classes.

A rickshaw driver was seen capturing a stray kite on Narwala Road while his vehicle was in the middle of the road. He said his eight-year-old son was fond of the kite flying and this kite would delight him. He said in the last few days, his son had captured several such kites.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2019