LAHORE,Oct 21: A majority of the speakers at a seminar on ‘Future of kite-flying in Lahore’ held here on Tuesday supported the City District Government ban on the sport and proposed legislation for restricting it to specified open spaces outside the populated areas.

District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood said in his presidential remarks that the CDG had organized the seminar because it wanted to resolve the sensitive issue democratically. He said that all sections of the society had welcomed the ban on flying kites, production and marketing and were in agreement that those giving the sport a dangerous shape should not only be stopped but punished also.

Punjab University Mass Communication Department Chairman Dr Mughisuddin said that Lahorites had always flown kites but they were not used to doing so after sunset. Official patronage and unnecessary media coverage had made Basant the festival of the rich.

Lesco Chief Executive Brigadier Riaz Toor said that he was not against the sport but was against the practices resulting in a loss of life.

He said that firing on the Basant nights and use of metal wire for had destroyed the beauty of the festival. He said the average number of power trippings had reduced from 1,600 to 1,800 to 110 to 135 on Sundays and 300 to 700 on weekdays following the imposition of the ban.

Kite Dealers Association’s Khwaja Basharat Husain said that those using metal wire had brought bad name to the sport and the ban on kite-flying and its business had deprived the traders of their means of living. He said that the kite manufacturers and dealers should be allowed to resume their businesses after making arrangements for checking of material. Exemplary punishments should be awarded to those using metal or chemical wire.

Kiteflying Association President Mian Abdul Wahid said that the sport should be allowed in open spaces 15 kilometres outside the city limits. His demand was also backed by ENT specialist Dr Nasrullah Rana.

Law College Principal Humayun Ehsan said that media coverage would stop only after the ruling class, bureaucracy and armed forces stopped patronizing the sport. He said flying of kites should be allowed only as a cultural festival and other sports be promoted for diverting the attention of the youth from kites.

Lahore Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Mian Maqsood Ahmed said that the Parks and Horticulture Authority was responsible for rendering kite-flying a dangerous sport by making it a festival of the rich.

Bar Council member Arif Chaudhry said that the fun had taken a bad shape due to the involvement of the rich. He supported the idea of allowing kite-flying at specified places outside the city limits. He also stressed the need for a law to give compensation to the kite-flying victims.

Pakistan Wapda Hydro-Electric Central Labour Union Secretary-General Khurshid Ahmed said that the ban should remain in place as Wapda revenue losses had decreased by Rs70 million since July.

Parks and Horticulture Authority Director-General Shabbir Ahmed stressed the need for stern action against those using chemical thread or metal wire.

Rotary Club President Khalid Pervez said that Basant was no doubt a part of the culture but the festival required to be observed on specified days and at open spaces outside the city instead of on the rooftops of the houses. He said that he failed to understand the logic of observing Basant at night when the kites were not visible in the sky.

Trader Agha Hassan Qazalbash said that he had to undergo a major surgery involving 66 stitches after his throat was cut by a stray kite thread on Shalimar Road only a month after marriage in April this year.