More than 100,000 kites seized during operations against illegal kite flying have been set on fire near the Old Ravi Bridge in Lahore, as authorities step up their campaign against the banned activity and the dangerous strings that come with it.
The destruction was carried out under the supervision of Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Jamil. According to a police spokesperson, the material destroyed on Thursday included 3,930 rolls of kite string, 2,279 bundles of pinna string and 1,737 rolls of hazardous chemical-coated string, alongside the kites themselves.
Officials say the stock had been confiscated in raids and cases registered across the city during the ongoing drive. Destroying it in bulk, they say, is meant to ensure the material cannot find its way back into the market.
Kite flying has remained a contentious issue in Punjab for years. The traditional Basant festival was once Lahore’s signature spring celebration, but the spread of chemical-coated and metallic strings turned the pastime deadly, with motorcyclists and bystanders killed or seriously injured by stray strings. The province now keeps a tight legal regime around kite flying, and police conduct regular operations against the manufacture, sale and use of kites and banned strings.
The latest destruction follows weeks of enforcement. Earlier this month, Lahore’s DIG Operations said more than 5,200 cases had been registered in the city this year, with around 187,000 kites and more than 7,500 rolls of string recovered. Police have repeatedly warned that anyone involved in making, selling or supplying illegal kites and chemical strings will face arrest and imprisonment, with no concessions for violators.
Police have also appealed to parents to keep children away from dangerous kite flying and urged citizens to report violations on the police helpline 15.
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