The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday dismissed a petition against Punjab's proposed 10-day Basant kite-flying celebrations in 2027, ruling that the case was premature. The court said no official notification of the celebrations had been produced, so it could not decide whether they would violate fundamental rights. In short, LHC dismisses Basant plea for now, and the petitioner has been asked to file a fresh one along with an official notification.
What the court said
Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the petition and asked the petitioner which official notification backed the proposed celebrations. The judge said a court could not pass an order merely on the basis of documents available on a website. Without a notification, the court said, it could not determine whether the festival would breach citizens' rights.
The judge also expressed surprise that the registrar's office had not objected to the petition, and asked the petitioner's counsel why a fine should not be imposed. After dismissing the plea, the court directed the petitioner to file a fresh petition with the relevant notification, so that the government could be questioned on the matter.
The sources differ on the status of the plan. The petition describes the government's decision to allow celebrations from January 29 to February 7, but the court's observations rest on the absence of any notification. Until an official notice is issued, the dates should be treated as unconfirmed.
What the petition argues
The petition, filed by citizen Shahid Islam, asked the court to restrict the 2027 celebrations to a single day instead of 10 and to declare the announcement invalid. It argued that a longer festival would expose residents to more safety risks, including injuries from sharp kite strings, electric shocks and falls from rooftops.
The petition also claimed that 17 people died during Basant celebrations in 2026. That figure is an allegation made in the petition and has not been established by the court. The petitioner further argued that prolonged celebrations would increase noise, environmental pollution and accidents.
The Punjab government, the chief secretary, the home secretary, a deputy commissioner, the inspector general of police and Lahore's capital city police officer were named as respondents. Additional Advocate General Khawaja Mohsin Abbas was to represent the provincial government and was expected to argue that the petition could not be maintained.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Before the hearing: citizen Shahid Islam files a petition seeking to limit Basant in 2027 to one day.
- 16 October 2026 (Friday): LHC dismisses Basant plea as premature, saying no official notification was produced.
- 16 October 2026: The court asks the petitioner's counsel why a fine should not be imposed, and directs a fresh plea along with the notification.
- January 29 to February 7 (2027): The 10-day period the government has announced for Basant celebrations.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Lahore High Court ne Basant ke 10 din ke mansoobay ke khilaf petition ko abhi khaarij kar diya hai, kyunke sarkari notification abhi saamne nahi aayi. Iska matlab hai ke 29 January se 7 February tak ka plan abhi pakka nahi hai. Petitioner ko kaha gaya hai ke notification ke saath nayi petition daakhil karay. Aap apni planning sarkari elaan ke baad hi karein.
