The district police completely failed to stop kite flying on the occasion of Basant in Faisalabad.
Throughout the night, the bloody game continued, with the kite flyers climbing on the roofs of tall buildings and houses to fly kites. Along with flying kites, dancing on loudspeakers, aerial firing, smoking, and other illegal activities were also rampant in different areas of the city. Even though special teams were formed by the police, the police could not control the hawkers and kite flyers. Due to this the people of the area remained tormented throughout the night.
According to the sources, Faisalabad Kite Flying Association had announced Basant on February 16, 17, Thursday, and Friday, on which Kite players in Faisalabad made preparations to celebrate Basant with full force. On Thursday and Friday, youth in different areas of Faisalabad raised flags to celebrate the festival of Basant and the police also danced the triple dance throughout the night.
Special teams were formed by City Police Officer Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi to prevent kite flying in areas across the Faisalabad district. Special teams from police station mobiles, eagle squads, panther squads, elite forces, and police lines were deployed to control the deadly game of kite flying and provide protection to the lives and property of the citizens. But despite all these measures, colorful kites were seen flying in the sky throughout the district.
Similarly, kite flying, intense aerial firing, fireworks, use of loudspeakers, smoking, beer, and other illegal activities were also continued throughout the night and day. Orders were also issued to the police teams to keep long ladders with their vehicles so that if any kite flyers were seen on tall buildings during the patrol, they can be controlled by climbing the ladders, but all the measures went in vain.
Sources said that during the operation to round up the kite flyers, the kite flyers were caught by the police, but after recovering the kites and chemical string from them, the alleged offerings were taken and left without action, and the kites and chemical string reels recovered from their possession were also given back to them to reward their close relations instead of being deposited in the case. Due to this the kites and chemical string reels were once again in the hands of kite flyers.
Sources said that many incidents of injuries and deaths of citizens took place during the death game of kite flying. But despite this, instead of taking practical measures to prevent it, the police authorities were limited to mere paperwork and issuing orders. In the areas of Polis stations Mansoorabad, People’s Colony, D Type Colony, Medina Town, D Type Colony, Batala Colony, Samanabad, Razaabad, Factory Area, Jhang Bazar, Sadar, Nishatabad, Kotwali, Gulbarga, Railbazar, Civil Line and Millat Town and others, Kite-flying, aerial firing, fireworks, and other illegal activities continued in the areas throughout the day and night, but the actions taken by the police appeared to be insufficient.
The police spokesman clarified that this year the police registered 401 cases against kite flyers and kite sellers and 394 accused kite flyers were arrested. And 134 hundred thousand 707 kites and 5940 spinning reels were recovered from them. He further said, “Kite flying is a bloody sport that is not allowed at all and the city police are working hard to protect the life and property of the people.” The city police officer said that special measures were being taken by the police to prevent kite flying and no person will be allowed to do illegal activities.
