Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced on Sunday that the province will have a “long weekend”, including a Basant holiday.
“Punjab will have a long weekend with Kashmir Day on February 5, a provincial Basant holiday on the 6th, followed by Saturday and Sunday. We hope people across Punjab use this time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the break,” she wrote on X.
The kite-flying festival was banned in Punjab in 2007 due to rising deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, especially affecting motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as incidents of celebratory gunfire.
Now, a three-day Basant festival will begin in Lahore from February 6, after the Punjab government decided to lift the ban on the historic event after 18 years, with strict rules in place.