CM Maryam marks March 12–14 for Basant 2027
Promises revival of colours, culture and music during the three-day event
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced that Lahore will host the Basant festival from March 12 to 14 in 2027. The festival had been banned in 2007 due to a high number of deaths and severe injuries caused by chemical-coated kite strings and gunshots during celebrations. However, an ordinance temporarily lifted the ban, allowing the three-day event to take place in Lahore.
CM Maryam expressed pride in the successful Basant 2026 and invited both locals and international visitors to participate in the colorful and cultural festivities. The announcement highlighted Lahore's vibrant spirit, inviting young people from Punjab and across Pakistan to make the most of the event. Despite safety measures in place, Basant has a history of causing accidents and fatalities, with over 8,000 arrests and more than 7,200 cases registered for violations in 2026 alone.
Under the new Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill 2025, stringent penalties, including imprisonment and heavy fines, are imposed for violators, aiming to protect human life and property.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
