LAHORE: Netizens have criticised politicians for allegedly using banned kite-flying string ‘charkhi’ during Basant celebrations in Lahore, questioning the consistency of law enforcement after videos circulated online.
In a video shared by Discover Pakistan, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif can be seen flying a kite using what social media users have claimed to be charkhi, a string banned by the Punjab government due to safety concerns. Hamza Shehbaz Sharif is the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a cousin of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
The footage surfaced days after Maryam Nawaz publicly warned citizens that violations of the kite string ban would lead to legal action. She had also shared posts highlighting arrests made through surveillance cameras, stressing that offenders would have to face the law without exception.
Similar clips circulating on social media also show Ayaz Sadiq and Malik Ahmad Khan Bahadur taking part in kite flying, with netizens suggesting that the strings visible in the videos appeared to fall under the prohibited category.
Basant 2026 was allowed in Lahore for a limited three-day period, marking the festival’s controlled return after years of restrictions imposed following deaths and injuries caused by hazardous kite strings. Ahead of the event, the Punjab government said more than 600 people were arrested as part of pre-Basant operations aimed at ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
While the government has maintained that the ban was introduced purely in the interest of public safety, netizens have continued to question whether the same standards are being applied to political figures. No official clarification has yet been issued regarding the videos circulating online.
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