LHC petition seeks action over deaths linked to Basant celebrations

LAHORE: A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court calling for criminal proceedings against government officials following deaths and injuries reported during recent Basant celebrations in Lahore.

The plea was submitted by Judicial Activism Panel head Azhar Siddique and cites official figures from the Punjab Home Department. According to the data, six people lost their lives and 124 others were injured during the festival, figures that directly contradict the Punjab government’s claims that Basant was celebrated without serious incidents.

Lahore witnessed large scale festivities marking the end of Basant, with kites filling the sky and citizens gathering on rooftops, streets, and open spaces to welcome spring. The celebrations were held under heightened security and special administrative arrangements.

The Punjab government had permitted Basant celebrations from February 6 to 8, restricting the festival exclusively to Lahore. Authorities maintained that strict legal and safety measures were enforced to prevent the tragic incidents that had previously resulted in a ban on the festival.

However, the petitioner argued that Basant now poses a serious threat to public safety rather than serving as a cultural event. The petition highlighted that dozens of children were injured after falling from rooftops or while climbing electricity poles during kite flying.

It was further alleged that state institutions failed to curb the manufacturing, transportation, and sale of hazardous kite string, commonly known as killer string. This failure, the petitioner claimed, amounted to gross negligence on the part of the authorities.

The court has been urged to order criminal and departmental action against responsible officials, establish a judicial commission to assess losses caused during Basant, and ensure strict enforcement of laws banning the production, sale, and use of killer kite string.