LAHORE, Feb 10: A full bench of the Supreme Court on Friday allowed kite flying throughout the country from Feb 25 to March 10.

Comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Justice Tassaduq Husain Jilani and Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad, the bench allowed the 14-day kite flying during the hearing of a suo moto case.

Allowing temporary relaxation on the ban imposed by it on the sport while adjourning the hearing of the case till March 17, the apex court made it clear that it would monitor the situation and review its decision in case of any loss of human life. “Relaxation doesn’t mean a licence to play with human lives,” the court remarked.

It also suspended the operation of the Punjab Dangerous Kite Flying (Amendment) Ordinance, which provided for allowing relaxation in ban on the sport for one month.

The court further observed that the kites and thread would be manufactured during the 14 days allowed for kite flying. It did not agree with the contention that separate time was required for the purpose, as the manufacturers had sufficient stocks of kites and thread. The use of glasspowder-coated, chemically treated thread or metal wire would not be admissible either.

The apex court allowed the district nazims to fix a day for flying of kites during the 15-day Jashn-i-Baharan through relaxation of the ordinance provisions. The inspector general of police, deputy inspectors general, district and union council nazims and naib nazims would ensure that the kite flyers abided by the prescribed conditions.

The provincial governments in Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan were also directed to ensure the implementation of the court order.

Amicus curie Shahid Hamid proposed that the government should purchase the entire stocks of kites and thread available with the manufacturers and traders to save them from financial loss. The kites and thread should be destroyed after that to ensure protection of human lives.

He pointed out that there had been a marked decrease in power trippings after the imposition of ban on kite flying. Only 764 trippings were reported in the provincial metropolis during the past one week against 7,400 during the corresponding period last year when kite flying was allowed.

The court observed that the proposal for a complete ban on the sport could not be accepted forthwith, as the case was still at the trial stage. It would, however, be examined at the time of decision.

Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad observed that the citizens and institutions generally did not respect the law.

Appearing on behalf of the Pakistan Wapda Hydro-Electric Central Labour Union, its secretary-general Khurshid Ahmad sought permanent ban on kite flying to protect the lives of citizens and prevent damage to electrical equipment, besides industrial loss. The court said it was already considering the proposal.

Kite flying and Manufacturing Industry representative Engineer Gulzar Ahmad Chaudhry opposed a complete ban on the activity on the grounds that a number of people depended on it for their livelihood. He said places should be specified for flying kites on the pattern of China and Japan.

The Supreme Court bench observed that kite flying itself was not dangerous, but thread coated with glasspowder or chemical made it so. It was, therefore, desirable to prevent the use of such twine, it added.

Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokra observed that the Punjab advocate-general should taken notice of the reports of kite flying in parks.

The chief justice observed that the death of youngsters in the kite flying-related incidents on roads was extremely painful.