LAHORE: The Punjab government`s decision to allow Basant celebration has been challenged before the Lahore High Court on the plea that kite flying would lead to loss of precious lives.

Advocate Safdar Shaheen Pirzada contended in his petition that the past experience had made it abundantly clear that Basant had never been a celebration, sport or enjoyment, rather it had become a source of violence and terror, causing loss of human lives in Lahore and other big cities ofthe province.

He stated that on the occasion people fly kites with chemicalcoated twine that was dangerous and could slit a person`s throat within seconds.

He said people, including children, riding motorcycles had been the victim of kite flying as most of them could not survive the killer twine`s cut.

The lawyer pleaded that the Constitution recognises and ensures free movement of individuals, without any fear or obstruction, except in the areas declared prohibited for common person for security reasons, but in this sort of activity (kite flying) the liberty as well as independent movement of all pedestrians and motorcyclists would be at stake.

He pointed out that during the Basant celebrations a lot of illegalacts, including aerial bring, are committed, which also subsequently cause loss of human lives.

Advocate Pirzada argued that the government could not allow Basant celebrationswithoutenforcing `The Punjab Kite Flying Rules 2007`, which required registration of kite flying material manufacturers, sellers and a ban on unauthorised material.

The rules, he added, also required that every owner or occupier of a place to be used for kite flying would obtain prior permission of the area union nazim to fly kites by submitting an application.

However, he stated, the government had never implemented the rules despite Supreme court direction to this ef fect.

The peddoner asked the court to restrain the provincial govern-ment from allowing Basant celebration in the interest of justice and fair play as it would create chaos and loss of so many valuable lives, including of inf ants.

Justice Atir Mahmood will take up the petition on Thursday (today).

RESOLUTION: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Wednesday submitted a resolution to the Punjab Assembly, opposing the Punjab government`s decision to allow Basant festival.

The resolution was filed by PML-N MPA Hina Pervaiz Butt.

`The Punjab government has made an `unwise` decision to lift ban on Basant. The Supreme Court had imposed a complete ban on the festival in 2005 and the Punjab government had introduced legislation in this regard in 2009.The resolution further said a number of people lost their lives because of `deadly twine` used in kite flying.

`The government`s decision is a contempt of court which should take suo motu notice,` it said, adding the festival should not put the lives of motorcyclists at risk.

The Punjab government on Tuesday decided `in principle` to celebrate this historic cultural festival after a hiatus of about 10 years in the second week of coming February.

`The decision to celebrate Basant has been taken in principle but an eight-member committee has also been formed to suggest ways and means to deal with fallout of the great cultural event, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayazul Hassan Chohan, had said.