LAHORE: The Lahore city district administration has geared up the process for the scrutiny of the applications it received for issuance of the licences to manufacture kites, twine and related material for Basant festival and warned of strict action against those found involved in manufacturing without a no-objection certificate (NOC).

“As many as 3,500 applications, received since Sept 5, are currently in process for issuance of the licences,” a city administration spokesman told Dawn on Friday.

According to him, the registration and issuance of licences for kites and related material’s manufacturing will continue in the coming months. However, the registration of the kite traders, sellers and associations will begin later, he adds.

Meanwhile, DC retired Capt Muhammad Ali Ijaz has directed the district administration to expedite the verification process for licences being sought by kite manufacturers. All assistant commissioners have been directed to verify the credentials and manufacturing premises of applicants.

“The licences would be issued only to manufacturers who fulfill all legal requirements and meet the prescribed standards,” the DC said in a statement, pledging that transparency and merit would be ensured in the licencing process.

The registration exercise is significant because the revival of Basant in Lahore this year represented a cautious return of a festival that had long been associated with the city’s cultural identity, but had become controversial because of fatal accidents involving kite string.

The Basant was celebrated in Lahore from Feb 6 to 8 this year, after the Punjab government lifted the longstanding ban on kite flying and permitted a limited festival under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act, 2025. The decision followed the legislation by the Punjab Assembly in December 2025.

The authorities divided Lahore into risk zones, deployed police and district administration teams and planned round-the-clock surveillance through Safe City cameras and drones. Road-safety measures, rooftop monitoring and coordination with Rescue 1122 and the power utility were also included in the security plan submitted to the Lahore High Court.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2026