Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday announced to extend the Basant Festival timing by five hours, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In her message, the Chief Minister said that “Keeping in view of Basant functions and events, I feel pleased to extend timings of Basant Festival till 5:00 am on the morning of February 9 (Monday), 2026.”
She said that the Basant Festival returned to Lahore after a lapse of 25 years, so extension in timing is a gift for the residents of Lahore who celebrate Basant Festival with the implementation of SOPs.
Earlier, the Basant Festival was scheduled to conclude at 12 midnight Sunday. She advised the people to keep themselves away from the electric wires and celebrate the Basant Festival with enthusiasm.
Police arrest two people using spinning wheels during Basant festival in Lahore.
In a post on X, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that “the use of the spinning wheel is prohibited on the occasion of Basant, otherwise you will have to face the law”.
The CM added that it is part of strict safety regulations, which aim to make kite flying safe and prevent accidents (such as cuts, falls, or collisions with power lines).
She said that only 9-ply cotton strings are permitted. The use of spinning wheels, metal wires, tinder, chemical/glass-impregnated ropes, nylon/plastic ropes, bulletproof materials and other dangerous items is strictly prohibited. All these items must be registered with a QR code. Violation may result in imprisonment (3 to 7 years), fine (up to lakhs of rupees) and strict legal action.
Kite flying is still prohibited in the rest of Punjab. There have been repeated appeals from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Police and the Home Department to use only approved equipment so that the festival remains enjoyable and safe.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reiterated that the ban on kite flying will remain in force even after the conclusion of the three-day Basant festival, as Lahore witnessed a record influx of around 900,000 vehicles during the celebrations. A record was set in Lahore as approximately 900,000 vehicles entered the city over a three-day period during the Basant festival.
The announcement came during a special video-link meeting held under the supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, where Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb presented a comprehensive report on the festival arrangements.
According to the report, public transport services — including the Orange Line Metro Train, Metrobus, feeder buses, electric buses, and other government-run transport — experienced unprecedented usage. Nearly 1.4 million passengers traveled on these services over two days, setting a new record.
On Friday, 299,000 passengers availed free travel on the Orange Line Metro Train, followed by 305,000 on Saturday. In total, more than 600,000 passengers benefited from free rides on the Orange Line over two days. Metrobus services also saw heavy usage, with 143,000 passengers on Friday and 135,000 on Saturday traveling free of charge.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed satisfaction with the administrative arrangements and security measures during the Basant festival. She appreciated the cooperation shown by Lahore’s residents and emphasized that the continuation of the kite flying ban is essential to ensure public safety.
Reporter Rao Dilshad Hussain