Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: The city&#39;s three-day Basant festival wrapped up this week, marking the first officially supervised celebration of the spring festival in nearly 20 years.&nbsp; Aside from its cultural symbolism, the event provided measurable insights into public participation, economic activity, and the practicality of hosting large-scale traditional festivals under modern regulations. Basant has historically been central to Lahore&rsquo;s cultural identity, but concerns over safety led to its suspension in the mid-2000s. Its revival, even in a limited format, was therefore closely observed by authorities, businesses, and the public alike.&nbsp; The scale of engagement during the three days suggests sustained public demand for cultural events rooted in local tradition. Preliminary market estimates show that kite-related items alone generated sales of over Rs 2 billion, with additional revenue across the hospitality, transportation, retail, and food sectors.&nbsp; During televised remarks, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that billions of rupees in total business were recorded during the Basant period, benefiting small vendors as well as large industries, including hotels, catering services, and transport providers. Millions entered the city during the festivalMobility and tourism data further highlight the festival&rsquo;s reach.&nbsp; According to government estimates, 4-5 million people entered Lahore by road during the festival days, while nearly one million vehicles were recorded entering the city.&nbsp; Air travel to Lahore also remained fully booked, reflecting strong domestic travel demand linked to the event. To manage urban movement and accessibility, the Punjab government provided free public transportation services, which were utilized by an estimated 2.6 million passengers over the three days.&nbsp; The numbers indicate a strong reliance on public infrastructure during major cultural events and serve as a reference for future planning. First-ever Basant for young peopleSocially, the festival bridged generational gaps.&nbsp; While older residents returned to familiar customs, rooftop kite flying, traditional yellow and white clothing, and communal meals, many younger Lahoris experienced Basant for the first time. This first-time participation underscores how cultural practices can re-enter public life after long absences and regain relevance among new audiences. The event was conducted under heightened security measures, including Safe City camera monitoring, thermal drones, and coordinated surveillance.&nbsp; Authorities reported that the controlled environment allowed celebrations to proceed while addressing longstanding safety concerns associated with Basant. Foreign visitors attendedForeign visitors also participated in noticeable numbers, attending rooftop gatherings and public events. Their presence reinforced Lahore&rsquo;s image as a regional cultural destination and highlighted the festival&rsquo;s potential role in cultural tourism. Speaking to Pakistan Television Digital, David Wagner, who arrived in Lahore from Germany for a local literature festival, expressed his excitement about Basant.&nbsp; He shared his experience flying a kite and highlighted how the Basant festival can bring people together. &ldquo;I had the chance to be on a rooftop, I flew the kite myself, and I loved it,&rdquo; he said, adding, &ldquo;I like it very much to have it in spring. To celebrate and bring the community together &mdash; it&rsquo;s a wonderful thing.&rdquo; As the festival ended, Basant&rsquo;s return offered more than just nostalgia. It provided data-backed evidence of economic boost, public participation, and logistical strength.&nbsp; For policymakers and cultural organizers, the three-day event serves as a case study in how heritage festivals can be reintroduced responsibly, balancing tradition with regulation and celebration with civic order.

Basant’s return offered more than just nostalgia. It provided data-backed evidence of economic boost, public participation, and logistical strength. 

Culture

Preliminary market estimates show that kite-related items alone generated sales of over Rs 2 billion, with additional revenue across the hospitality, transportation, retail, and food sectors. 

Basant festival concludes amid cultural revival, economic momentum 

Web Desk

Lahore is set to welcome the return of Basant from February 6 to 8, as kites, music, and spring festivities take over the city after years of restrictions. Authorities have allowed celebrations under strict safety regulations, including QR-coded kites, bans on glass-coated string, and the distribution of one million safety rods to motorcyclists. Free transport services, including buses, rickshaws, and taxis, aim to ease movement as the city marks the arrival of spring.

Lahore is set to welcome the return of Basant from February 6 to 8, as kites, music, and spring festivities take over the city after years of restrictions.

Color and festivity as Lahore set for return of Basant

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated a newly constructed arena at the Wagah Border, the main crossing point between Pakistan and India, along with a museum and a partition-themed park in Lahore.&nbsp;According to Radio Pakistan, several new constructions have been completed, including a theme park depicting the partition of the subcontinent, with models of a railway station, military equipment, and a Martyrs&rsquo; Memorial.&nbsp;&ldquo;After the expansion, the seating capacity of the arena has been increased from 7,500 to 25,000 spectators,&rdquo; it said.&nbsp;The Wagah border crossing, located near the eastern city of Lahore, is the primary land route between Pakistan and India and one of the most recognizable symbols of the often-tense relationship between the two neighbors.&nbsp;The inauguration ceremony organized by Pakistan Rangers (Punjab), was attended by Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, the Lahore Corps Commander, provincial ministers, and other senior civil and military officials.&nbsp;

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated a newly constructed arena at the Wagah Border, along with a museum and a partition-themed park, as senior civil and military officials attended the ceremony.

Pakistan’s Punjab expands Wagah border arena with museum, partition-themed park

LAHORE: The Alhamra Arts Council in Pakistan&rsquo;s Lahore briefly felt like a crossroads of continents as Portuguese multi-instrumentalist Ricardo Passos delivered a sweeping, soul-stirring performance that transported audiences far beyond the city&rsquo;s cultural heart. Passos, born in Porto in 1977, has spent more than 20 years tracing musical lineages across Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. His arrival in Pakistan marks another step in what he describes as a lifelong search for the cultural threads that bind global sound. Before reaching Lahore, Passos performed at the World Cultural Festival in Karachi and led a workshop at the National College of Arts. But it was his evening at Alhamra that crystallized his Pakistani journey. A night when his collection of instruments became vehicles for storytelling. Walking on stage with what looked like a small museum of world traditions, Passos opened with the soft, mournful breath of the Armenian duduk. From there, the performance unfolded like a map in motion: the airy Brazilian flute, the shimmering mbira from Zimbabwe, the deep resonance of the Gabonese ngombi, and the piercing lyricism of the Turkish saz. He shifted between them intuitively, guided less by sequence than by feeling. At times, he added only his voice, rhythmic breaths, raga-inspired tones, raw percussive sounds, creating layers that blurred geography and genre. The hall responded in stillness, the audience leaning into every transition. For Passos, the journey behind the music is as important as the sound itself. &ldquo;It began with music,&rdquo; he told Pakistan TV Digital, &ldquo;but somewhere along the way, I realized it was leading back to myself.&rdquo; What started as exploration, he explained, became a spiritual path. A way to engage with ancient traditions and the deeper folds of personal identity. As the final notes dissolved into applause, it was evident that Alhamra had hosted more than a concert. Lahore had witnessed a traveler share an entire world, one instrument, one story, one emotion at a time.

Film & TV

Entertainment

Portuguese musician Ricardo Passos captivated Lahore with a multisensory performance using instruments from four continents, blending global traditions, voice and spirituality into a deeply immersive, cross-cultural musical experience

Ricardo Passos brings global musical journey to life on Lahore stage

LAHORE: Lahore continues to rank as the world&rsquo;s most polluted city for a fifth straight day, as cross-border smoke from widespread crop burning in India mixes with local emissions to drive smog to dangerous levels across Pakistan&rsquo;s Punjab.&nbsp;According to the Swiss air monitoring platform IQAir, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Pakistan&rsquo;s second largest city surged to 567 on Wednesday morning, placing it in the &ldquo;hazardous&rdquo; category and prompting health advisories and enforcement actions.&nbsp;Earlier this week, Lahore&rsquo;s AQI had peaked at 424, while PM2.5 levels reached 287 &micro;g/m&sup3;, far exceeding safe limits. Karachi also recorded severe pollution on October 28, ranking third globally with an AQI of 174, while New Delhi placed second with 276.&nbsp;In response, the Punjab government has revised school timings, with classes now beginning at 8:45 am, to limit children&rsquo;s exposure during peak smog hours.&nbsp;Environmental experts say stagnant winter air, vehicle emissions, industrial output, and agricultural fires are collectively worsening conditions. However, smoke from crop residue burning across the border in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Haryana has notably intensified smog, elevating PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations across Pakistan&rsquo;s largest province.&nbsp;Health professionals warn that prolonged exposure to such hazardous air can lead to stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory illness, and lung cancer. Residents have been advised to wear masks and avoid outdoor activities, particularly during early morning and late evening.&nbsp;The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has declared a high alert across Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Faisalabad, Multan, and Rahim Yar Khan.&nbsp;&ldquo;The intensity of smog is expected to increase from November to mid-December,&rdquo; said PDMA Director Hameedullah Malik in a statement to Pakistan TV Digital. He said a ban is in place on burning crop residues, solid waste, tires, plastic, and rubber, adding that legal action will be taken against violators.&nbsp;Tech-driven crackdownThe Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has deployed drone surveillance to identify active pollution sources. Over the past 48 hours, authorities detected more than 756 violations, according to PSCA.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Department of Environmental Protection and Climate Change is promoting sustainable alternatives to burning. At a seminar in Kabirwala, farmers were trained to manage rice stubble without setting fields ablaze. Officials explained how agricultural waste can be converted into biomass energy, turning residue into a resource rather than smoke.&nbsp;&ldquo;Smog is a serious environmental and public health issue, requiring collective and coordinated efforts,&rdquo; said Project Coordinator Dr. Younus Zahid.&nbsp;Citizens have been urged to report smog-causing activities to the helpline 15.&nbsp;Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said nine departments are carrying out joint anti-smog operations, with environmental squads in the field and drone monitoring of brick kilns. She said AQI forecasting has been introduced in Punjab for early intervention, in addition to high-powered anti-smog guns deployed by the Environment Protection Agency.&nbsp;She advised vulnerable groups to stay indoors at night. &ldquo;Already a ban is in place on all types of outdoor activities at schools,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;Local innovation for pollution controlEngineers at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) have developed an anti-smog gun with a 40-meter spray range, designed to suppress dust at high-pollution sites.&nbsp;UET Vice Chancellor Professor Munir, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, said the system would be deployed at construction sites, stone-crushing plants, and mining operations, all major contributors to airborne particulate pollution.

Climate & Environment

In Lahore, hazardous smog persists for a fifth day as cross-border crop burning from India and local emissions drive pollution to dangerous levels, triggering health warnings, school adjustments, and province-wide enforcement.

Pakistan battles severe smog as Indian crop burning intensifies air crisis

LAHORE: Spinner Noman Ali grabbed four wickets to restrict South Africa to 216-6 at the close of play on day two of the first Test in Lahore on Monday, despite a fighting half-century from Tony de Zorzi.&nbsp;Spinners dominated on a turning Gaddafi Stadium pitch as all the day&#39;s 11 wickets went to slow bowlers, with South African left-armer Senuran Muthusamy taking a career-best 6-117 to dismiss Pakistan for 378.&nbsp;Zorzi was holding the fort at the close with 81 not out and Muthusamy on six as South Africa trail by 162 runs in the first innings.&nbsp;Zorzi batted with guts, knocking nine boundaries and a six, combating Noman, who claimed 4-85.&nbsp;South Africa started off well with 45-0 on the board when Noman removed touring skipper Aiden Markram for 20 and Wiaan Mulder for 17, both caught behind by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.&nbsp;Ryan Rickelton, who scored a punishing 71 with two sixes and nine boundaries, and Zorzi added 94 for the third wicket, taking on the spinners with some aggressive shots.&nbsp;It was part-timer Salman Agha who broke the stand by forcing an edge from Rickelton with Babar Azam taking a smart low catch in the slips.&nbsp;Noman returned for his third spell to get Tristan Stubbs caught behind for eight and Kyle Kyle Verreynne leg-before for two while Sajid Khan removed Dewald Brevis for a golden duck.&nbsp;Earlier, it was Noman&#39;s like-for-like left-armer Muthusamy who destroyed Pakistan after they resumed on 313-5, losing their last five wickets for just 16 runs.&nbsp;Agha hit five fours and three sixes in his 93 and was last man out, caught in the deep off spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who took 2-78.&nbsp;Agha added 49 with Rizwan to take their sixth-wicket stand to 163 before Muthusamy ripped out the middle order with three wickets in the 12th over of the day.&nbsp;Rizwan was the first to go, for 75, when he edged a sharply turning ball to wicketkeeper Verreynne after a knock containing two fours and two sixes.&nbsp;Two balls later Noman went without scoring, bowled when he played down the wrong line and then Sajid Khan followed first ball, caught in the slips.&nbsp;It became 378-9 when Muthusamy bowled Shaheen Shah Afridi, on seven, for his sixth wicket.&nbsp;His previous Test best was 4-45 against Bangladesh in Chattogram last year.

Cricket

Spinner Noman Ali’s four wickets reduced South Africa to 216-6 in reply to Pakistan’s 378 on day two of the Lahore Test, despite Tony de Zorzi’s unbeaten 81. Earlier, Muthusamy claimed a career-best 6-117.

Articles tagged with "lahore"

Basant festival concludes amid cultural revival, economic momentum

Color and festivity as Lahore set for return of Basant

Pakistan’s Punjab expands Wagah border arena with museum, partition-themed park

Ricardo Passos brings global musical journey to life on Lahore stage

Pakistan battles severe smog as Indian crop burning intensifies air crisis

Noman derails South Africa to 216-6 in first Pakistan Test