As Lahore celebrated the long-awaited return of Basant, Aleema Khan revealed that she and her family also took part in the traditional kite-flying festival in the provincial capital, despite political differences with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Speaking to reporters outside an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, she said her son Shahrez marked Basant with his children on February 6, while she personally flew kites at her Lahore residence carrying Imran Khan’s prisoner number 804 as a symbolic gesture.
Aleema stated that preventing Lahoreites from celebrating Basant was nearly impossible, describing the festival as a cultural event belonging to the people rather than any political party. She emphasized that no restrictions were imposed on citizens and noted the enthusiasm across the city, where even children were seen flying kites on rooftops.
She also termed PTI’s February 8 protest a success, saying people had demonstrated peacefully in the same manner they had cast their votes.
Reacting to her remarks, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif welcomed her family’s participation, calling it a positive and healthy change. Speaking to Geo News, he remarked that if they enjoyed the festival, they should also appreciate Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, noting that millions participated in the celebrations.
Asif credited CM Maryam Nawaz for reviving the tradition and expressed hope that the celebration would expand to other cities. He added that Basant could eventually be observed nationwide as a national cultural festival.
Meanwhile, Lahore witnessed a vibrant revival of Basant as residents and visitors from across the country joined the celebrations after a limited relaxation of the ban imposed in the early 2000s over safety concerns.
The three-day festival, which concluded on Monday morning, filled the skies with colourful kites while rooftops came alive with music, traditional food, and festivities under strict safety arrangements.
The Punjab government permitted celebrations for a restricted period with extensive precautions aimed at preventing accidents caused by metal and glass-coated strings. Kite fighting remained the main attraction, drawing cheers from neighboring rooftops, while long-inactive workshops resumed operations to meet renewed demand. Participants were instructed to strictly follow standard operating procedures.
Traditionally marking the arrival of spring, Basant was allowed this year only in Lahore under tight regulation, with authorities closely monitoring activities to ensure public safety throughout the event.
