Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the cancellation of her scheduled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/lahore-reclaims-its-sky-as-basant-returns-after-two-decades" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Basant-related engagements</a>, including a major official event in Lahore, following a deadly suicide blast at a Shiite Imambargah in Islamabad.&nbsp;&ldquo;In the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-condemns-mosque-blast-orders-probe" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamabad tragedy</a>, I am cancelling all my Basant-related activities that were scheduled for tomorrow,&rdquo; Sharif said in a post.&nbsp;She added, &ldquo;The mega Basant show at the Liberty Square also stands cancelled.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2019789804121235457&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e0e07450beb7a6cf411979d4f55f4636fc22cf37&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2019789804121235457"></iframe></div></div>She stressed that the decision was taken in light of the national security situation and called for unity against militancy.&nbsp;&ldquo;It is imperative that the nation remains united against the Khwarji [terrorists] menace and their &lsquo;sympathisers&rsquo;, shows them no mercy, and stands shoulder to shoulder with our Armed Forces in defense of the country,&rdquo; she wrote, concluding with, &ldquo;Pakistan Zindabad.&rdquo;&nbsp;The announcement followed a suicide blast at the Imambargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque in Islamabad&rsquo;s Tarlai area during Friday prayers. At least 31 people were killed and 169 wounded, according to officials, with the toll expected to rise as several injured remain in critical condition.&nbsp;In a separate statement, the Punjab chief minister outlined emergency measures ordered by her government to assist victims. &ldquo;25 fully equipped emergency ambulances have been dispatched to Islamabad for the victims of the Imambargah blast,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;She added that &ldquo;all hospitals across Rawalpindi District have been placed on high alert, with surgical teams, anesthetists, orthopedic and neurosurgical specialists on standby.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to her post, &ldquo;blood banks are fully staffed, and operation theatres are fully equipped to ensure prompt and effective medical care for the injured,&rdquo; while the commissioner and deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi had been directed &ldquo;to extend every possible assistance.&rdquo;&nbsp;Expressing grief over the attack, Sharif said she was &ldquo;deeply saddened by the tragic blast at an Imambargah in Islamabad.&rdquo;&nbsp;She added, &ldquo;My heart goes out to the victims and their families during this painful time. Prayers for the swift recovery of the injured, and may Allah grant patience and strength to all those affected. Ameen.&rdquo;&nbsp;The blast occurred amid heightened security challenges in Pakistan and cast a shadow over Basant, the spring kite-flying festival that had just returned to Lahore after authorities lifted a ban in place for more than two decades for a limited three-day period.&nbsp;While Basant festivities continued across the city, Sharif&rsquo;s decision made clear that official government celebrations and her personal participation would not go ahead, reflecting the somber national mood following the Islamabad tragedy.

Security

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, cancels her Basant activities and a Lahore event after an Islamabad suicide blast, while mobilizing emergency medical support.

Punjab CM cancels her Basant activities, Lahore event after Islamabad blast

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the skies above Pakistan&rsquo;s cultural capital are once again alive with color. As midnight passed into Thursday, fireworks flared across Lahore. Kites began lifting from rooftops, and music echoed through the narrow streets of the Walled City. By dawn, the message was unmistakable: Basant, once a defining symbol of Lahore&rsquo;s spring, had returned openly, officially, and under the watchful eye of the state. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2f944219-e304-4aeb-ae82-623b092b71ee.jpg" style="width: 605px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> The three-day festival, beginning Feb. 6, marks a turning point for a city that has long associated kite flying with its identity, yet has seen the celebration pushed into the shadows following years of bans and safety concerns. This year, the revival is neither symbolic nor tentative. It is public, regulated, and visibly embraced by the provincial government. Across Lahore, the transformation was immediate. Main roads, underpasses, and traffic circles were decorated with bright banners and large kite-themed installations.&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/94b0046a-9b63-4a63-8b17-71305e14ce7f.jpg" style="width: 605px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> In older neighborhoods, rooftops were adorned with lights, strings, and spools, while entire blocks seemed to pause their daily routines in anticipation of the festivities. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz acknowledged the occasion shortly after midnight, describing Basant as a cultural inheritance rather than a mere event, and extended greetings to citizens as the festival began. Traditional kite markets, including Mochi Gate, Delhi Gate, Shah Alam Market, and Anarkali, remained busy late into the night as families and young buyers stocked up on supplies. Vendors said interest was cautious in the early days, but demand surged once people became convinced the government-backed revival would proceed as announced. Liberty Chowk emerged as a focal point of the celebrations, repurposed into a public gathering space illuminated with lights and oversized kite displays. Families, couples, and groups of friends gathered there, signaling a notable shift: Basant was no longer confined to private rooftops but had returned to shared civic life. As evening fell, the city&rsquo;s rooftops reclaimed their historic role as the heart of Basant.&nbsp; Strings of lights connected neighboring homes, grills were fired up, and relatives gathered for shared meals under open skies. Folk music drifted across districts, punctuated by cheers and the familiar cry of triumph when a kite string snapped mid-air. Women prepared traditional yellow and white clothing adorned with floral jewelry, while children and elders sorted kites with an ease learned over generations. For many Lahoris, these rituals had never disappeared &mdash; only paused. Yet for a younger generation, the experience was entirely new. Many teenagers and young adults were celebrating Basant for the first time, encountering a festival they had previously known only through family stories and old photographs. Their enthusiasm blended discovery with inherited nostalgia, giving the revival a renewed emotional charge. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister made an unannounced visit to Liberty Chowk and later to Mochi Gate. Moving through the crowd with minimal security, she interacted with residents, posed for photographs, and addressed safety concerns directly. During the visit, she stopped a motorcyclist who was riding without a safety rod, a newly enforced requirement, and explained that the measure was designed to prevent injuries and could be installed free of charge at designated points. She reiterated that motorcycles were not banned during Basant, but warned that vehicles lacking safety equipment would be impounded. Officials and residents alike viewed the visit as a calculated political gesture, reinforcing the message that the festival&rsquo;s return was both sanctioned and here to stay.<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/129a53d5-6723-4beb-b8be-1324f2107e8f.jpg" style="width: 570px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> According to Malik Faizan Ahmed, legal adviser to the Kite Flying Association, the scale of public participation has altered the political calculus surrounding Basant. &ldquo;The response has been so strong that reversing this decision would now be extremely difficult for any future government,&rdquo; he said, adding that the festival has regained broad social acceptance. Administratively, the celebrations are unfolding under strict controls. The Punjab Home Department has designated February 6-8 as &ldquo;Safe Basant&rdquo; and has imposedcertain restrictions to regulate public order. Metallic and nylon kite strings remain banned, motorcycles must be fitted with safety rods, and emergency services have been placed on high alert. More than 10,000 police personnel have been deployed across Lahore, supported by checkpoints, surveillance systems, and zero-tolerance enforcement.&nbsp;Authorities insist the objective is not to restrict, but to ensure the festival&rsquo;s sustainability beyond this year. For Lahore, a city shaped as much by memory as by movement, Basant&rsquo;s return is more than seasonal festivity. It is a reclamation of public space, cultural confidence, and the simple act of looking up together.

Artists play traditional drums next to a hoarding with portraits of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) party leaders, as vendors sell kites to mark Basant Festival in Lahore on February 4, 2026. (Photo by Arif ALI / AFP)

Culture

Lahore welcomes the regulated return of Basant after nearly two decades, as government-backed celebrations revive kite flying across rooftops and public spaces, combining nostalgia, civic life and strict safety enforcement.

Articles tagged with "Basant"

Punjab CM cancels her Basant activities, Lahore event after Islamabad blast

Lahore reclaims its skies as 3-day Basant festival returns after two decades