Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Wednesday said that the Basant festival, which was revived by the provincial government earlier this month in Lahore after an 18-year hiatus, would now be celebrated in February 2027.

“I want to state categorically … that Basant will be celebrated in February 2027. No suggestion for celebrating it before that is under consideration,” she said in a video message posted by the Punjab government’s official account on X.

She also noted that people in a couple of cities had celebrated the festival over the last few days.

“We did not give a harsh reaction at that as there were no losses reported,” Bokhari added.

The Punjab minister highlighted people’s “excitement” for the festival and said she shared the same sentiment.

Bokhari reiterated that the Basant would be celebrated in February 2027 and would be “bigger and better than the one held this year”.

The three-day Basant festival was celebrated in Lahore from February 6-8, following the Punjab government’s decision to lift a ban on the historic event after 18 years, with strict regulations.

Subsequently, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had praised authorities for organising a “safe Basant” festival in Lahore. She also stated that there was not a single death caused by injuries from kite strings during the festival.