IG Punjab Police Rao Abdul Kareem, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, commended the government on Monday for planning a “safe Basant” celebration in Lahore over the weekend.
She thanked several officials for their preparations and efforts throughout the three-day festival to ensure its success in televised remarks.
“I want to commend all 15 Punjab government departments for setting up a safe Basant using a whole-of-government approach,” she declared. She specifically mentioned the teams of Lahore Deputy Inspector General Operations Faisal Kamran, Punjab Inspector General Rao Abdul Kareem, and Lahore Capital City Police Officer Bilal Kamyana.
In order to avoid motorcyclists from getting hurt by kite strings, CM Maryam was also pleased that locals mounted “safety rods” on their bikes and adhered to conventional operating protocols.
“Many people saw that Lahore residents were abiding by the law and following safety protocols, which was a positive change,” she continued.
“It gave me hope that as a disciplined and law-abiding nation, we can reach our potential,” she remarked.
CM Maryam added that during the festival, no one died as a result of injuries sustained from kite strings.
“It was the first time that no deaths from injuries caused by kite strings, like slit throats, were reported during the festival,” she said.
There were a few mishaps, including two electrocutions and kids climbing electricity pylons to get kites. However, it was the first Basant, and because so many people had their throats cut by kite strings, it was known as the “Bloody Basant.”
The efforts of Lahore Commissioner Maryam Khan, together with the deputy and associate commissioners, to monitor infractions in real time during the festival were also praised by CM Maryam.
“I express my gratitude to the Punjab Information and Technology Board for leveraging technology to facilitate our management of Basant,” CM Maryam added.
She also praised the Punjab Horticulture Authority for their “beautiful arrangements” and the traffic police for effectively handling large influxes of vehicles.
She also expressed gratitude to the Lahore Electric Supply Company for keeping teams ready to go in case someone had to rescue a kite that had become stuck in a power wire.
“Seeing positive headlines and a positive image of Punjab after so many years makes me happy,” CM Maryam remarked.
“The world discovered Punjab’s rich history, culture, and legacy,” she stated.
She was pleased that Gen Z could enjoy the festival in an open setting with their families, away from screens and other electronics.
She said, “They have a connection to their history and culture.” “They will soon be able to fully embrace their history, culture, and the self-assurance that accompanies it.”
People traveled from all over Pakistan to Lahore to take part in the celebrations, the chief minister continued.
“Pakistan is healing, Punjab is healing,” she declared. “People celebrated as one nation, putting aside their differences, grief, and problems.”
CM Maryam had praised the people of Lahore the day before for following the SOPs established by the provincial government.
On Saturday, however, it was revealed that over the first two days of the festival, at least 118 Basant-related accident cases—including six fatalities—were received by the Punjab home department’s control center. The six fatalities were four rooftop falls and one each from young boys attempting to scale a tree and an electric pole to collect kites.
A teenage journalist is also said to have perished on Sunday night after falling from the roof of his Sanda neighborhood home.