Roofs across the city and cantonment have been decorated. Police have launched operations and raids to arrest kite flyers and sellers. Teams have been formed to apprehend kite flyers, and ladders have been distributed to police personnel to climb rooftops during raids.
Kite Association Vice Chairman Haji Iqbal announced that all preparations for Basant and Basant Night in the cantonment have been completed. According to him, Basant Night will begin on February 5 after Maghrib prayers and continue until 1am, while Basant on Friday will start after Friday prayers and last until Maghrib.
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He stated that regardless of police actions, Basant will be celebrated in Rawalpindi, and arrests and cases cannot stop the festival. He rejected slogans branding Basant as a ‘bloody’ festival and criticised what he called a double standard by the Punjab government, allowing Basant in Lahore but banning it in Rawalpindi.
He demanded a complete ban on metallic and chemical strings and permission to celebrate Basant using ordinary kite strings. He said rooftops of plazas and houses in Rawalpindi could be designated for Basant celebrations.
According to the association, preparations across the city and cantonment are complete, and millions of kites and strings have already been supplied, distributed and sold. The association announced a boycott of the Basant ban in Rawalpindi.
Arrangements for food, barbecues and aerial firing have also reportedly been made in city and cantonment areas, with aerial firing expected during celebrations.
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Kite and string home delivery through coded language on social media is at its peak. If an unfamiliar person uses a code word, an immediate counter-code reveals their identity. Prices of kites and strings have surged, with kites selling between Rs350 and Rs1,500 and strings ranging from Rs1,000 to Rs5,000.
A large supply of kites has reportedly arrived from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa via Galiyat, Murree and Azad Kashmir. The association alleged that police failed to check this route effectively, claiming that vehicles of major dealers are escorted safely while only damaged and discarded kites are seized.
Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema stated that Basant would not be allowed in the city or cantonment areas, emphasising that the festival is banned, arrests will be made and cases will be registered against violators. Police claimed that more than 50,000 kites and 10,000 strings were seized over the past week.
A game of hide-and-seek continues between police and kite flyers. It was also reported that children of police officers organised kite flying within police lines.