A three-day Basant festival would kick off in Lahore from February 6, 2026, following the Punjab government’s decision to lift a ban on the historic event of celebration, colours, and kite-flying after 18 years, with strict regulations.
The festival was banned in 2007 because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as by celebratory gunfire.
“The Basant festival will be held in Lahore from Feb 6 to 8, 2026,” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari told Dawn on Wednesday.
The festival would be “completely safe, regulated, and strictly monitored,” she added.
In a post on X, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said, “CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz has approved the revival of our beloved Heritage Basant Festival on February 6th, 7th and 8th, celebrated across Lahore after 25 years, a tradition rooted in history and admired worldwide.”
On CM Punjab’s directions, a city-wide campaign to install safety antennas on all motorbikes would start tomorrow, she said, adding that “every motorbike in Lahore will have an antenna for safety before and during Basant.”
“Spring returns to the city of heritage and festivals. Lahore’s skies will speak in colour again, reclaiming our glory for the world,” she added.
Bokhari said, “Strict conditions have been imposed to prevent any potential loss of life during the three-day Basant festival.”
Last week, the Punjab government lifted the ban on Basant celebration through an ordinance – the Punjab Kite Flying Ordinance, 2025.
Under the ordinance, police officers of the rank of sub-inspector were empowered to make arrests and conduct searches without warrants on credible information.
The ordinance has been submitted to the Punjab Assembly for enactment.
Basant Panchami, with ‘panchami’ meaning the fifth day of the lunar month Magh, is a celebration of future crop prosperity, spring, and good luck.
Historically, in the 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh held an annual Basant fair and introduced kite flying as a regular feature. The association of kite flying with Basant soon became a tradition centred in Lahore, which remains the regional hub of the festival throughout Punjab even today. However, the festival has also traditionally been celebrated in other parts of Punjab, including Indian Punjab. Over time, the festival began to be celebrated across the country.
During the festival, the city sky is filled with colourful kites of all shapes and sizes flown from rooftops. The kites are controlled with strings usually embedded with thin shards of glass, which help cut the threads of competing kites more effectively.