On Tuesday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued notices to the Punjab government, IG Punjab, and the home secretary in response to a petition calling for a complete ban on kite flying in the province.
Justice Ahmed Nadeem Arshad presided over the case, filed by advocate Azhar Siddique, highlighting the dangers of stray chemical kite strings. These strings have been responsible for multiple fatalities across Punjab, with local police and relevant authorities reportedly failing to enforce existing bans effectively.
The petitioner has requested that the court mandate the authorities to legislate a comprehensive prohibition of kite flying to safeguard lives.
Following the initial review of the petition, the court has sought responses from the mentioned governmental bodies.
This legal action aligns with recent legislative efforts, including a resolution introduced earlier in the Punjab Assembly by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Hina Parvez Butt. The resolution, which calls for classifying kite and string-making as non-bailable offences, reflects growing concerns over the hazardous impact of unregulated kite flying. The resolution also encourages judges to deny bail for those arrested under these proposed stricter regulations.