Lahore’s Basant is back on the calendar, with new dates. The Punjab cabinet has approved holding Basant 2027 in Lahore on March 12, 13 and 14, 2027, ProPakistani reported on October 20, citing Dunya News. It is the latest change to the schedule, and kite flying will be allowed across the city subject to government regulations.
Why Basant was banned
Basant, the festival that marks the arrival of spring, was once Lahore’s biggest celebration, with rooftop parties, yellow clothes and kites filling the sky. It was banned in Punjab after a string of deaths and injuries caused by metal wire and glass- or chemical-coated string, which cut motorcyclists and caused power outages when it touched electricity lines.
The safety rules
Punjab has spent much of 2026 preparing. In the spring it unveiled strict new kite-flying rules for Basant 2027, and in August it designated a location for producing approved kite string, according to ProPakistani. The aim is to control where kite string comes from, because dangerous string caused the deaths that led to the ban. Before the festival, check the final government notification for:
- String: which types are permitted and where approved string can be bought. Metal wire and chemically or glass-coated string are what made past festivals deadly.
- Sellers: whether kite and string sellers must be registered.
- Enforcement: the penalties for breaking the rules, which police and district administrations will enforce.
How to celebrate safely
- Motorcyclists should fit a safety wire guard on the front of the bike during the festival days.
- Keep children away from roof edges, and fly kites only from rooftops with railings.
- Never try to retrieve a kite caught on power lines.
- Buy kites and string only from registered sellers.
A boost for local business
Kite makers, string producers, caterers, tailors and rooftop event organisers stand to benefit if the festival runs smoothly. For many Lahoris, it is a chance to revive a tradition a generation has grown up without.
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