Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday praised authorities for organising a “safe Basant” festival over the weekend in Lahore.
In televised remarks, she expressed gratitude to various authorities for their arrangements and work during the three-day festival to make sure it was a success.
“I wish to praise all 15 departments of the Punjab government for arranging a safe Basant with a whole-of-government approach,” she said. She made special mention of Punjab Inspector General Rao Abdul Kareem, Lahore Capital City Police Officer Bilal Kamyana, Lahore Deputy Inspector General Operations Faisal Kamran and their teams.
CM Maryam also expressed happiness that citizens followed standard operating procedures and installed “safety rods” on their bikes, aimed at preventing motorcyclists from suffering injuries caused by kite strings.
“It was a positive change for lots of people, where people saw that citizens in Lahore were abiding by the law and following safety protocols,” she added.
“It gave me hope that we can achieve our potential as a disciplined and law-abiding nation,” she said.
CM Maryam also stated that there was not a single death caused by injuries from kite strings during the festival.
“For the first time, not a single death from kite string injuries, such as throats being slit, was recorded during the festival,” she noted.
“There were some incidents; there were two electrocutions, where children climbed power pylons to retrieve kites. But it was the first Basant; it used to be called ‘Bloody Basant’ because so many people’s throats were slit with kite strings.”
CM Maryam also lauded the efforts of Lahore Commissioner Maryam Khan, as well as deputy and assistant commissioners, for real-time monitoring of violations throughout the festival.
“I would also like to thank the Punjab Information and Technology Board for using technology to make Basant easier for us to manage,” CM Maryam said.
She also thanked the traffic police for successfully managing heavy traffic inflows and the Punjab Horticulture Authority for their “beautiful arrangements”.
She also thanked the Lahore Electric Supply Company for ensuring teams were on standby to prevent accidents involving people recovering kites caught in power lines.
“After so many years, it brings me happiness to see positive headlines and a positive image of Punjab,” CM Maryam said.
“The world learned that Punjab has a storied history, culture and heritage,” she said.
She expressed happiness that Gen Z could leave behind their screens and gadgets, and experience the festival in an open atmosphere with their families.
“They have connected to their culture and history,” she stated. “The day is not far away when they will fully take pride in their history and culture and the confidence that comes with it.”
The chief minister added that people from all over Pakistan came to Lahore to participate in the festivities.
“Punjab is healing, Pakistan is healing”, she said. “People put aside their differences, their sorrow and their problems and celebrated as one nation.”
A day earlier, CM Maryam had lauded the people of Lahore for abiding by the standard operating procedures set by the provincial government.
However, on Saturday, it had emerged that the Punjab home department’s control room had received at least 118 Basant-related accident cases, including six casualties, during the first two days of the festival. The six casualties included four incidents of falling from rooftops and one each when young boys tried to climb an electric pole and a tree to catch kites.
Meanwhile, a young journalist also reportedly died after falling from the rooftop of his house in Sanda area on Sunday night.
