RAWALPINDI: Kite flying and firing in the air continued in different parts of the city in complete disregard to a ban, leaving a woman injured on Friday.

On the other hand, police continued crackdowns against kite sellers and flyers by arresting several people and seizing thousands of kites.

Farida, 50, had to be taken to the District Headquarters Hospital after a stray bullet reportedly fired by kite flyers hit her in the R.A. Bazaar area.

However, her condition was out of danger at the hospital.

Earlier this month, a motorcycle rider was hospitalised after his throat was slit by a kite string at Committee Chowk.

Though no death was reported in the city and cantonment areas, kite flying has been going on in different parts of the city.

Shaukat Rashid Butt, a PTI leader, narrowly escaped a gunshot after a bullet fired by kite flyers damaged the sunroof of his car in Mughalabad.

“I was parking my vehicle when a bullet fired by kite flyers hit and damaged the sunroof of my car. Luckily, I remained unhurt,” he said.

A police spokesman said a crackdown led by SP Potohar Syed Ali was continuing against kite flyers in the R.A. Bazaar area. He said a youth was also arrested.

Besides a large number of kites, sound systems and several empty bullet casings were also seized, he said.

The Punjab government has imposed a ban on kite selling and flying in the province and directed the police to launch crackdowns against those violating the ban.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2018