Dangerous kite flyers face terror charges in Pakistan

Lahore: Kite flyers and traders responsible for deaths or serious injuries will be charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act in Pakistan's Punjab province, the chief minister said yesterday after imposing an indefinite ban on kite flying.

The decision follows the deaths of six people, including children, after their throats were slit by the kites' strings.

The Punjab government has also decided to bring cases against the heads of families if any member is responsible for an accident. This will ensure parents keep an eye on their children and discourage them from kite flying, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said.

"Those responsible will be given maximum punishment," Elahi told the families of Nadeem Pasha and Mohammad Shayan, who died when stray kite strings cut their throats.

The bereaved families had asked Elahi for legislation that would completely ban kite flying.

It may seem an innocent pastime, but some kite flyers reinforce strings with wire or ground glass for duelling with other kites and betting on the outcome. When strings cross in the congested sky, the winner cuts loose the opponent's kite.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan banned kite-flying after the family of a victim, who lost his voice, appealed for justice. The Supreme Court also directed the government to draft a law regulating kite-flying.

The Punjab government had requested the Supreme Court relax the ban for 14 days for the Basant (spring) festival. The ban was relaxed for 18 days.

But as soon as the ban was lifted several deaths caused by the kites' strings and electrocution were reported. Several motorists were seriously injured and underwent surgery.

This prompted the Punjab government to immediately enforce the ban.

Most Lahorites welcomed the ban, although it will likely take some of the colour out of Basant, one of the city's most popular festivals, due to start tonight.

People usually crowd streets, parks and roof tops to fly kites, listen to music and party. Hard-line Muslims, however, oppose it as a waste of money and consider it a Hindu festival. Tufail Ahmad, 35, praised the government for the ban. "It should have been done much earlier," he said.

Of 10 Lahore residents asked by The Associated Press, only one opposed the ban, arguing that the government should designate parks for kite-flying instead of imposing a province-wide ban.

Anis Ahmed, a university student, said authorities were depriving people of a centuries-old sport. "It should have allowed kite-flying at parks, instead of banning it," he said, but added he opposed the use of sharp kite strings. Police have arrested 1,100 people since March 5 for selling or manufacturing glass and chemical-coated kite strings, said Khwaja Khalid Farooq, a senior Lahore police superintendent.

Police are now vowing to enforce the ban strictly. They arrested 74 people yesterday, including 22 shop owners, for selling or flying kites after the ban was announced, city chief of police operations Amir Zulifquar said.

- With inputs from AP