Lahore High Court dismisses petition against 10-day Basant festival in 2027

The Lahore High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the proposed 10-day Basant festival in 2027, declaring it premature

LAHORE:  The Lahore High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the proposed 10-day Basant festival in 2027, declaring it premature in the absence of an official government notification confirming the event.

Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the petition filed by citizen Shahid Islam, who sought judicial intervention against the proposed duration of the festival, citing concerns over public safety and the alleged absence of proper standard operating procedures (SOPs).

During the hearing, the court questioned the maintainability of the petition, observing that proceedings could not be initiated solely on the basis of information available on websites without an official notification from the government.

Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry asked the petitioner’s counsel to produce the notification under which Basant was allegedly scheduled to be celebrated for 10 days in 2027.

The judge observed that the court could not determine whether the proposed festival violated fundamental rights without first establishing that an official decision had been made by the relevant authorities.

The court remarked that no judicial order could be issued merely on the basis of website documents and stressed the need for an authentic government notification before examining the legality of the proposed arrangements.

The judge also questioned why the petition had been entertained by the Registrar Office without an objection and asked the petitioner’s counsel why a fine should not be imposed for filing the case without the required documentary basis.

Petitioner raises safety concerns

In his petition, Shahid Islam argued that the government had issued a notification regarding the celebration of Basant in 2027. He maintained that the proposed 10-day duration raised serious concerns, particularly in view of the risks associated with the festival.

The petitioner claimed that appropriate SOPs had not been formulated to ensure public safety and referred to deaths allegedly reported during Basant-related activities in 2026.

He requested the court to declare the announcement regarding Basant 2027 unlawful and set it aside. Alternatively, he urged the court to direct the authorities to reduce the proposed 10-day celebration period to a single day.

The petitioner’s plea was based on concerns that an extended festival could increase risks to the public if adequate preventive measures and enforcement arrangements were not in place.

However, during the hearing, the court focused on the absence of an official notification in the material presented before it, questioning how the legality of the government’s alleged decision could be assessed without documentary confirmation.

Petition dismissed as premature

After hearing the arguments, the court dismissed the petition, treating it as premature because the required official notification had not been produced.

The proceedings did not amount to a final judicial determination on whether Basant 2027 would violate fundamental rights or whether the proposed festival duration would be appropriate. Instead, the court’s observations centred on the lack of an official document necessary to examine the matter.

The petitioner was directed to approach the court afresh if the relevant government notification became available, enabling the matter to be considered on a proper legal and documentary basis.

The decision leaves the substantive questions raised in the petition, including public safety arrangements and the proposed duration of Basant 2027, open for consideration in any fresh proceedings supported by the necessary documentation.