Basant 2027 · Rules
Basant 2027 rules: the kite flying law in Punjab, explained
Kite flying in Punjab is banned by default under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025. For Basant 2027 the ban lifts only in Lahore, only on notified days, and only with cotton dor on a QR-coded pinna bought from a registered seller. Rooftops need 3.5-foot walls, motorcycles need safety rods, and offences are non-bailable.
Basant 2027 at a glance
Short answers from our facts table. Each one links to its source and shows when we last checked it.
Which law applies?
Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025
Kite flying in Punjab is governed by the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025, passed by the Punjab Assembly on 24 December 2025 after an ordinance of 1 December 2025.
confirmedDetails and source
Kite flying in Punjab is governed by the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025, passed by the Punjab Assembly on 24 December 2025 after an ordinance of 1 December 2025. It replaced the 2001 prohibition ordinance. Flying stays banned by default; the Deputy Commissioner may permit it only on notified days and at designated places.
confirmedSource: Dawn
Where is it allowed?
Lahore only
Basant 2027 is permitted in Lahore only.
confirmedDetails and source
Basant 2027 is permitted in Lahore only. It is not a Punjab-wide festival; the Home Department called a circulating province-wide notification fake.
confirmedSource: Soch Fact Check
Which string is legal?
Cotton dor only
Up to 9 threads (tars), at least 28 count, approved maanjha only.
confirmedDetails and source
Only cotton dor is allowed: at most 9 threads (tars), at least 28 count, coated only with approved maanjha, and wound in a round ball called a pinna. Every pinna must carry its own QR code for verification.
Penalties
3 to 5 years in prison
For flying against the rules, with fines up to Rs 2 million. Banned string: 5 to 7 years.
confirmedDetails and source
Penalties under the 2025 Act: flying kites against the rules, 3 to 5 years in prison and/or a fine of up to Rs 2 million; making, storing or selling banned string or kites, 5 to 7 years and/or up to Rs 5 million; selling even permitted kites or string without registration, 1 to 5 years and/or a fine. All offences are cognisable and non-bailable.
confirmedSource: Pakistan Today
On this page
Which law governs kite flying in Punjab?
The Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025, passed on 24 December 2025, which keeps kite flying banned except on the days and at the places the Deputy Commissioner notifies.
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The Act replaced the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Ordinance 2001, which had kept Basant off Lahore's calendar for nearly two decades. Instead of a blanket ban, it sets up a regulated system: registered makers and sellers, approved materials, permitted days and places, and heavy penalties for everything else. Its Regulations make the Deputy Commissioner of each district the registration authority.
Who decides when and where kites can fly?
The Lahore Deputy Commissioner, by notification, with the Punjab government's prior approval.
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A notification sets the festival days, the areas and places where flying is allowed, and the window in which registered sellers may sell. The Home Department sets security guidelines around it, and the district administration inspects rooftops, issues permits to manufacture, transport and sell, and can seal buildings that break the rules.
What did the Basant 2026 Lahore notification say?
The Deputy Commissioner's notification ADC(G)/2025/1190 let registered sellers sell from 1 February 2026 to 8 February 2026 and allowed kite flying from 6 February 2026 to 8 February 2026, with anyone under 18 barred from flying and the charkhi banned.
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Basant 2026 reference: registered sellers could sell kites and string to the public from 1 to 8 February 2026 (DC Lahore notification ADC(G)/2025/1190). Manufacturing and trade were allowed from 30 December 2025. Kite flying was allowed on 6, 7 and 8 February 2026.
confirmedSource: Geo News
The 2027 notification has not been issued yet. The official Basant portal lists 29 January to 7 February 2027, excluding 5 February, but the dates still await a Deputy Commissioner notification. When it is issued, this page and every key facts box on the site update the same day.
What string and kites are legal?
Only cotton dor wound as a QR-coded pinna, and kites no larger than the approved sizes.
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Official maximum kite sizes: a patang (guddi) may be at most 35 inches wide and 30 inches long (4.5 githi), and a gudda at most 40 inches wide and 34 inches long (1.5 tawa). Nothing larger is allowed.
Everything else that cuts or conducts is banned: metallic wire, nylon, glass-coated or chemically coated string and sharp maanjha. The charkhi spool reel is banned too. See allowed vs banned for the full list and how to spot banned string.
Who has to register, and how?
Every manufacturer, trader and seller of kites or string must register with the Deputy Commissioner before making or selling anything.
Kite and string manufacturers, traders and sellers must register with the Deputy Commissioner through the Basant portal. Manufacturer registration for 2027 opened on 5 September 2026, and manufacturers need a no-objection certificate (NOC) before production. Sellers, traders and associations are expected to register in January or February 2027. The DC verifies applications within 10 days, and a registration is valid for one year.
confirmedSource: Dawn
- Manufacturers: registration for 2027 opened on 5 September 2026, and a no-objection certificate (NOC) is needed before production starts.
- Sellers and traders: expected to register in January or February 2027.
- Kite flying associations: register online through their president or general secretary.
- Processing: the Deputy Commissioner verifies each application within 10 days, and a registration lasts 1 year.
- Display: registered sellers must display their certificate at their premises.
What do rooftop owners and organisers have to do?
Make the roof structurally safe, with walls or grills at least 3.5 feet high, by 30 December 2026, and take responsibility for everyone on it.
Rooftops used for kite flying must have walls or grills at least 3.5 feet high and be structurally sound, and every location must keep a first-aid kit. Owners must finish safety work by 30 December 2026, and unsafe rooftops are banned outright. Building owners and organisers are responsible for any accident. Overcrowding, loud music, DJ systems and aerial firing are banned, and gatherings above the permitted number need an NOC.
confirmedSource: Dawn
- Repair roofs, parapets and stairways at any place used for flying before Basant.
- Unsafe or structurally unsound roofs are banned outright, and the Deputy Commissioner can inspect older buildings.
- Get an NOC if the gathering will exceed the permitted number of people. In 2026, NOC events had to be non-commercial: no tickets, food sales or advertising.
- No loud music, DJ systems, aerial firing or display of weapons.
- Keep a first-aid kit at every kite-flying location; it is mandatory.
What are the rules on roads and motorcycles?
Every motorcycle in a permitted area needs an approved front safety rod at least 1 metre high.
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Motorcycles in permitted areas must carry an approved front-mounted safety rod at least 1 metre high. Lahore traffic police plan to fit rods free of cost on over two million motorcycles before Basant 2027. A neck guard is strongly advised.
confirmedSource: FAFEN
Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has been told to fit protective netting to electrical installations, and the traffic police plan free rod fitting. Never fly a kite from a road, bridge or flyover, and never chase a cut kite into traffic.
What behaviour is banned during Basant?
Banned behaviour includes aerial firing, loud music and DJ systems, harassment, and anything else that disturbs neighbours or public peace.
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The 2026 code of conduct banned misbehaviour, harassment, obscenity and indecent conduct on rooftops and in streets, along with flying towards airports, air routes, sensitive installations and power lines. Officials could inspect any rooftop at any time, and an event's NOC was cancelled on the spot for a violation.
Who is responsible for children during Basant?
Parents, guardians and event organisers are legally responsible for children's safety during Basant.
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In 2026 the Lahore administration barred under-18s from flying kites, and the 2027 notification is expected to do the same. Parents, guardians and event organisers are legally responsible for children's safety; offences by minors go through the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, and unpaid fines can be recovered from parents or guardians.
confirmedSource: ProPakistani
Keep children away from roof edges and roads, and don't let anyone run after a bo kata kite.
What are the penalties under the kite flying law?
From 1 to 5 years for selling without registration up to 5 to 7 years and Rs 5 million for making or selling banned string or kites.
| Offence | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Flying kites against the rules | 3 to 5 years | Up to Rs 2 million |
| Making, storing or selling banned string or kites | 5 to 7 years | Up to Rs 5 million |
| Selling permitted kites or string without registration | 1 to 5 years | A fine, or both |
How are the rules enforced?
Police can arrest without a warrant and seize banned material, and the district administration can inspect rooftops and seal buildings at any time.
Read moreShow less
Officers of sub-inspector rank and above can search for and seize banned string and kites. In 2026, quick response teams inspected rooftops and checked NOCs during the festival. To report banned string or a dangerous rooftop, call the police helpline 15; in an emergency, call Rescue 1122.
How do we keep these rules up to date?
We check official notifications and major newspapers, label every rule with its status and last-checked date, and update this page the day a notification changes anything.
Rules for 2027 are still being notified, and some figures come from 2026 or from press reports of the Act rather than its gazetted text. Each fact box shows where a rule comes from. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we will check it.
Frequently asked questions
Is kite flying legal in Punjab now?
Only on notified days and places. Kite flying in Punjab is governed by the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025, passed by the Punjab Assembly on 24 December 2025 after an ordinance of 1 December 2025. It replaced the 2001 prohibition ordinance. Flying stays banned by default; the Deputy Commissioner may permit it only on notified days and at designated places.
Is Basant 2027 allowed outside Lahore?
No. Basant 2027 is permitted in Lahore only. It is not a Punjab-wide festival; the Home Department called a circulating province-wide notification fake.
When was Basant banned in Lahore?
Basant was banned in Punjab for nearly two decades after deaths and injuries from metal, glass-coated and nylon string. It returned in Lahore on 6 February 2026 under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act 2025, which allows only cotton string from registered sellers.
Do kite sellers need a licence?
Yes. Kite and string manufacturers, traders and sellers must register with the Deputy Commissioner through the Basant portal. Manufacturer registration for 2027 opened on 5 September 2026, and manufacturers need a no-objection certificate (NOC) before production. Sellers, traders and associations are expected to register in January or February 2027. The DC verifies applications within 10 days, and a registration is valid for one year.
How high must a rooftop wall be for Basant?
At least 3.5 feet, and the roof must be structurally sound. Unsafe roofs are banned outright.
Can you get bail for a kite flying offence?
Offences under the Act are non-bailable and cognisable, so police can arrest without a warrant. A court decides on bail.
What happens if a child breaks the kite flying rules?
In 2026 the Lahore administration barred under-18s from flying kites, and the 2027 notification is expected to do the same. Parents, guardians and event organisers are legally responsible for children's safety; offences by minors go through the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, and unpaid fines can be recovered from parents or guardians.
Sources (23)
- Dawn — Punjab Assembly passes kite flying regulation bill (24 Dec 2025)
- FAFEN — Kite Flying Regulation: How it Evolved Since 2001
- Soch Fact Check — 10-day Basant festival announced for Lahore, not across Punjab (15 Oct 2026)
- The Express Tribune — Lahore skies set for 10-day Basant (1 Oct 2026)
- Punjab Basant portal (official) — Safety rules (15 Oct 2026)
- The Express Tribune — Lahore revives Basant 2026 but keeps kite-flying on a tight string
- Pakistan Today — Punjab Assembly passes strict kite-flying law with heavy penalties (24 Dec 2025)
- Dawn — Punjab govt plans stringent regulations for safe Basant in Lahore (11 Sept 2026)
- The Express Tribune — PA passes Kite Flying Bill 2025 with tough penalties
- Dawn — Registration for kite manufacturers to open from tomorrow (4 Sept 2026)
- ProPakistani — Punjab sets strict safety rules for Basant 2027 kite flying (first-aid kits, supervision) (2 May 2026)
- Punjab Basant portal — Code of conduct
- ARY News — Basant 2026 SOPs for Lahore (2 Feb 2026)
- ProPakistani — Lahore makes rooftop NOC mandatory for Basant (3 Feb 2026)
- ProPakistani — Age restriction imposed for kite flying during Basant (9 Jan 2026)
- Geo News — Kite-flying rules, sales window notified (charkhi ban) (29 Dec 2025)
- Daily Pakistan — Lahore Basant 2026 notification released (29 Dec 2025)
- ProPakistani — Lahore announces kites sale date for Basant 2026 (29 Dec 2025)
- Punjab Basant portal (official) — Basant 2027 dates (15 Oct 2026)
- The Nation — Punjab approves Basant festival in Lahore for 2027 (30 Sept 2026)
- Geo News — Lahore to celebrate 10-day Basant festival in 2027 (30 Sept 2026)
- The Nation — Basant 2027 to be celebrated in Lahore from March 12 to 14 (18 Aug 2026)
- Minute Mirror — Basant 2027 in Lahore likely to return to original March dates (4 Oct 2026)