LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Friday finalised all preparations for the three-day Basant festival to be held in Lahore from Feb 6 to 8, urging people to celebrate it in a safe manner.

Presiding over a meeting on Basant arrangements here, the chief minister said she wanted to restore joy and cultural celebrations to the people of Punjab.

“Punjab’s rich traditions have been pushed aside for years. Basant is an 800-year-old cultural heritage of Punjab and the world recognises Punjab’s vibrant culture,” she said.

The CM said Punjab belonged to everyone and all communities had the right to celebrate their festivals freely, including Eid, Holi, Christmas and Ramazan.

SOPs’ violators to be punished with up to five-year jail term and Rs5 million fine

She recalled the revival of the Horse and Cattle show after three decades, saying it would also be held this year.

Announcing strict safety measures, the chief minister said a comprehensive Basant safety plan had been finalised to prevent accidents associated with kite flying.

“Lahore has been divided into Red, Yellow and Green zones, and only cotton kite string made of nine threads will be allowed. Nylon and metallic strings are strictly banned, with violators facing up to five-year jail terms and fines up to Rs5 million,” she said and added that illegal kite flying, other than the notified dates, would invite imprisonment and fines, while parents and guardians would be held responsible for underage or illegal kite flying.

“String reels (charkhi) are banned, only hand-held spools (pinna) will be allowed, and kite and gudda sizes have been fixed.

To protect motorcyclists, the government will install free safety rods on one million motorcycles. Entry into the Red Zone will only be allowed for bikes fitted with safety rods, while riding without a rod will attract a Rs2,000 fine. Citizens providing information about banned kite flying will be rewarded,” she said.

The chief minister said more than 2,150 manufacturers, traders and vendors had been registered, while over 600 FIRs had already been registered against violators ahead of Basant, with hundreds arrested and tens of thousands of illegal kites seized. More than 10,000 surety bonds have also been obtained to ensure compliance.

A detailed traffic and transport plan has been prepared. Under the Basant Transport Plan, free rides will be provided on Orange Line, Metro Bus, electric buses and feeder buses, along with 500 additional buses. Ride-hailing services will also facilitate tens of thousands of rides to discourage motorcycle use and reduce risk.

“For security and emergency response, 4,000 police personnel, besides Suthra Punjab workers, will be deployed. Plan for police, Rescue 1122, fire brigade and ambulances have been finalised, while 24/7 control rooms have been set up at the Punjab Safe Cities Authority and the commissioner office. CCTV cameras and drones will monitor the festival during the three (Basant) days,” she said.

The CM said Basant was being organised for safe enjoyment and public happiness and urged people to celebrate responsibly. She said that the Basant festival would kick off on the night of Feb 6 with formal celebrations beginning on Feb 7.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2026