Basant festival to be celebrated in February 2019, Punjab Govt. lifts 12 years’ ban

Basant festival will be celebrated in February, marking the arrival of the spring season. The announcement came on Tuesday, as the Punjab government has lifted the 12-year-old imposed ban.

The traditional celebrations for the spring festival Basant will be held in the second week of February 2019. The Lahore sky is likely to brighten up with Basant kites and Lahoris will get to enjoy aromatic Basant related feasts and festivities after 12-year ban put on by the previous government.

Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, while addressing a press conference in Lahore, made announcement regarding the Punjab government’s decision to celebrate the Basant festival.
He said, “This time Lahore’s population will surely celebrate Basant”.

Adding further, provincial minister said that a committee comprising the Punjab law minister, the provincial chief secretary, and other administrative officials, will be formed to deliberate on the modalities about how the negative aspects of the festival can be avoided and overcome.

To be noted, official ban was imposed on the traditional kite-flying festival of Lahore by the government in 2007 following increasing deaths in connection with the kite-flying incidents.

Provincial minister further stated that the Supreme Court in its order had clarified that there was no restriction on holding the Basant festival and that it should be celebrated while staying within the ambit of law, as well as the rules and regulations defined by the government.

Mr. Chohan further said that, “The citizens and the civil society have been demanding permission to hold Basant festival for quite some time following which Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had sought recommendations about holding the Spring festival”.

“It has no relation to religion. It is for enjoyment,” the provincial information minister also added.