Basant 2027 in Lahore likely to return to original March dates

Lahore’s Basant festival, planned for 2027, may soon return to its original schedule. Sources say the Punjab government has agreed to hold the festival on March 12, 13 and 14, as first announced.

The dates were changed earlier for reasons that were never made public. The Chief Minister of Punjab and the provincial cabinet moved the festival to January 29 through February 7, turning it into a ten-day event. The decision drew mixed reactions, and overseas Pakistanis were among those most affected.

Many of them had planned their trips around the original dates. With Eid expected around March 8 to 10, the March schedule would have let them celebrate Eid and Basant in a single visit, without needing extra leave. Some had already bought their tickets. The move to January and February upset those plans, since they could not realistically make two separate trips.

Now sources say the government has reversed course. According to them, Basant will be held on March 12, 13 and 14, and an official announcement is expected within three or four days.

No official notification has been issued so far, so the dates should be treated as unconfirmed until the government makes its announcement. If confirmed, the decision will come as a great relief to overseas Pakistanis, who will be able to celebrate Eid and Basant together.