Basant festival in pakistan
2010 ban |
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2010 basant festival
in lahore pakistan ban |
aPle against kite-flying ban dismissed:
Courts cannot give ‘licence to kill’: LHC
LAHORE: Courts cannot give anyone ‘licence
to kill’ in the name of Basant, as it is a dangerous
activity, said Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry of the Lahore
High Court (LHC) on Tuesday while dismissing a petition
challenging the kite-flying ban.
The Punjab government submitted a report
in the court, stating that the Punjab Prohibition of
Kite Flying Ordinance, 2001, was amended in 2007 and
2009 in line with the Supreme Court order for the safety
and security of life and property of the people.
The report added the government had
closely monitored kite flying and found that allowing
it to continue would be against the public interest.
At least 18 people were killed and 24
others injured in incidents related to kite flying activities
during 2006-09, the report said, adding that WAPDA incurred
revenue losses to the tune of Rs 5 billion while the
damage caused to grid stations amounted to Rs 57 million.
It would be unfair to leave the entire
community at the mercy of a group involved in the business
of kite-flying, the report concluded.
The petitioner, Suhail Ansari, a kite
trader, submitted that the Supreme Court (SC) had ordered
that all stakeholders should be heard before amending
the law relating to kite-flying, but the authorities
issued the ordinance without hearing the effected people.
He submitted that the people who had
played an active role in bringing changes to the law
had no knowledge of the materials used in the makes.
He said SC had also ordered the provincial
governments to ensure protection of life and property
of the people, but the government had instead banned
kite-flying despite the fact that the livelihood of
thousands was linked with this business.
The petitioner also presented a document,
suggesting a specific type of material and size of kites,
which, according to him, was not dangerous. He requested
the court to strike down the ban on kite flying.
