Kite flying and kite flying bans are hot topic in Pakistan these days. For the last few years there have been calls by activist groups to ban kite flying outright. The issue stems from injuries and deaths caused by the kite line used in the highly competitive passtime, particularly during the Basant festival. Usually the line is manjha or wire; manjha is glass coated line and can cause serious cuts to people as the kite line descends after a kite fight. The line drapes across streets and cars and since it’s so fine it can go unoticed until it’s too late. The wire line causes additional problems, flyers have been electrocuted as the line crosses power lines and even if the flyer is not electrocuted the wire line often results in power outages.

Geo Pakistan news reports

LAHORE: A four-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Tuesday imposed a one-month ban on kite-flying and manufacturing, buying and selling of kites.

A bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry had taken suo moto notice of the losses by kite-flying.

The full story can be found on the Geo.tv website

Another article can be found on the ONLINE -International News Network.

A number of other articles have been published over the past few years regarding the Basant festival, which celebrates the begining of spring, and the tragedy that unfolds each year.

January 2005 - The News International - Basant: past and present

January 2005 - The Nation - The economics of Basant

January 2005 - Gaurdian Unlimited - Lahore buckles up for thrills and spills of kite carnival

August 2004 - Pakistani Times - Complete ban on Kite-flying Demanded in Punjab

June 2003 - Daily Times - Kite-Flying, Thread Works associations’ representatives to meet nazim today

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