It is not only the widening gulf over political and judicial issues, the coalition partners in Punjab government PML-N and PPP are polls apart even on the essential cultural matters.
Analysts say that the two mainstream national parties have taken a different stand on the revival of spring festival Basant and kite flying, which had been part and parcel of Lahore's culture for last many years.
They say the PML-N a rightist party, has virtually succumbed to this week's threats of the fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami and decided not to give permission for its celebration though earlier it was actively considering to give restricted permission to the kite flying enthusiasts to celebrate the centuries old festival on February 28 / March 1, 2009.
The Jamaat -e-Islami had been opposing Bansant and Kite flying due to deaths and injuries of people caused by metal thread used for kite flying and dubbed it as un Islamic
On the other hand Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who represents liberal side of PPP, has strongly come out in favour of the festival and said " Basant is the festival of Spring season and symbol of happiness and Lahorites are eager to celebrate it so no body has a right to stop them from it, however, no one can be allowed to use chemical coated string for kite flying"
Talking to reporters, the governor said if the restricted string was available in the market it never meant to cut throats of innocent people by using it for kite flying. "It was duty of the government to ban the sale of such harmful string to the kite flyers" he added.
Governor Taseer said Basant is an integral part of Punjab's culture and it should be celebrated as a big cultural event, therefore, he would not only celebrate Basant himself but, would also open gates of the Governor's House for people for celebrations. He said many culture events were being organised in the Governor's House.
Meanwhile a delegation of Lahore Basant Festival (LBF) and the Kite Flying Association (KFA) met with the PPP senior Minister Raja Riaz and briefed him that overwhelming majority of the city's residents favoured kite flying in celebration of the spring festival. They said that the ban on kite flying not only deprived the people of celebrating and enjoying a festive occasion but also adversely affected the manufacturing kite-related products and tourism in the city.
Talking to Business Recorder Riaz said he will discuss the matter with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and urge him that the government should at least give permission to celebrate the festival at restricted places like Jallo Park in the first week of March.
The members of the Lahore Basant Festival (LBF) and District Kite Flying Association (DKFA) say, " Celebrating Basant is essential to keep intact the culture of this city, bring people out of trauma, and to promote Pakistan's soft image before the international community.
They say that the recent terrorist acts in Pakistan have pushed the people into a traumatic situation, and it is this festival that can help restore the image of Pakistan and normalise the situation as Basant was the name of liveliness.
They say Basant is a tool to bring people close to each other for almost five million people, including foreigners, celebrate the festival of kites in Lahore. "The festival has become a Rs 5 billion revenue industry as it helps promote tourism, transport . trade and food industry "
It may be added that the City of Lahore marks the beginning of spring with the Basant Festival, an orgy of kite-flying, rooftop soirees, garden parties and other cultural, social and music functions, much to the disgust of fundamentalists.
Lahorites and out-of-town enthusiasts don glamorous clothes, in the yellow and green of spring flowers blooming city-wide, to bid farewell to the frosts and fogs of winter and usher in spring.
Night-time kite-flying in the walled old city around the Badshahi mosque and Lahore fort opens the festival. Kites in different colours shimmer in the night sky, marked by battle cries of Pecha! and victory shouts of bo kata! Bursts of drums and trumpets mark the cutting of a kite's cord.
Men drape themselves in embroidered shalwar kameeze with matching ankle-length scarves, little boys strut in three piece suits, and women coat their hands with henna and stack their arms with bangles.
Pakistanis living all over the world specially come to their homeland to celebrate the Basant festival with their families and friends. Public parks and rooftops are crowded with revellers celebrating the festival which starts with music concerts and dinner parties organised privately or as public events on the eve of Basant.
The bad side of the kite flying is that some unscrupulous kite fliers use glass coated or metal kite strings and open gun fire which causes serious injury or even death and damage to WAPDA's electricity transmission and distribution system.