RAWALPINDI: All tactics will be used to impose the government ban on kite flying with the deployment of 1,600 police personnel and the usage of drones for surveillance to identify violators of the law.

A police spokesman said that a comprehensive plan has been chalked out to monitor kite flying with special police teams to launch a crackdown against kite flyers and those involved in the aerial firing.

Police have arrested 690 people (kite flyers and sellers) for violating the ban and recovered more than 97,000 kites this year during an ongoing campaign against kite flyers. As part of the campaign against kite flying and aerial firing, police have been making announcements from mosques and through mobile police units to educate people about the impacts of kite flying and aerial firing.

“Citizens, especially parents should discourage kite flying, selling and aerial firing as it is a dangerous sports activity,” said a senior police official.

Despite a government ban on kite flying in the province, people violate the law with disregard for human life. Each year, several deaths and injuries are reported due to kite flying. In addition, several incidents of people falling from rooftops or getting electrocuted have been reported.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2022