Lahore Basant Festival Organiser Syed Zulfiqar Hussain has said the Lahore Basant Festival was the only festival which attracts more than five million people in Lahore and adjoining areas.
While talking to the newsmen here on Thursday, he said the festival of Basant was regularly celebrated every year in and around Lahore, but with the passage of time, it caused deaths of many people, resultantly the Supreme Court of Pakistan had put ban on flying kites in the country.
In the recent past, some unscrupulous elements started using metallic twins/threads and the chemicals to add element of invincibility, which unfortunately caused deaths of children and other innocent people. He said that he had presented various suggestions to the government for safe kite flying but concerned quarters put a deaf ear to his suggestions.
He said that kite-flying culture was best illustration of enlightenment and enlightened moderation could best be explained through positive activities like Basant. He further said that through Basant a strong message could be given to the world that we were peace-loving nation.
Last year, Basant was scheduled for February 25, but could not be celebrated due to ban on kite flying. This festival also generates economic activities to the tune of billions of rupees.