Lahore DC gives formal go-ahead for 3-day Basant festivities in March 2027, outlines conditions and restrictions

LAHORE: The Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) on Friday gave the formal go-ahead for three-day Basant festivities in the district from March 12-14 next year, outlining guidelines, conditions and restrictions for the celebrations. Basant returned to Lahore earlier this year after an 18-year hiatus, with the passing of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025 by the provincial assembly on December 24, 2025. The legislation authorised deputy commissioners to grant conditional permission for kite-flying — which otherwise remains banned in Punjab — on specified days and at designated locations. In August, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced that the festival would next be celebrated from March 12-14. On Friday, the decision was formalised in notification by the Lahore DC.

The notification, a copy of which is available with Dawn , said that kite-flying would be allowed in Lahore during Basant 2027 except at designated prohibited zones and subject to certain conditions. “Kite-flying through the use of permissible kite-flying material, as specified in Schedule-I of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Rules, 2025 and Punjab Kite Flying Regulations, 2025 shall be allowed from March 12-14, 2027,” it added. The notification said the manufacturing of permissible kite-flying material would be allowed from Sept 5, 2026 to March 14, 2027, subject to valid digital registration. Trade, including the purchase, transportation and storage of the material, will be permitted from Feb 1, 2027 to March 14, 2027 while sales to the general public will be allowed from Feb 10, 2027 to March 14, 2027, exclusively through registered sellers. The notification further said that no manufacturer, trader, or seller should manufacture, trade, store or sell permissible kite-flying material…