Chowrangi

On this week-end authorities have given the license to kill in Lahore. Jashn-e-Baharan videlicet Basant mela will be in full swing on this weekend. This forced festival will do less to entertain and more to hurt.

The act of flying a kite is not a shameful thing in itself, neither is to express blissfulness in the change of weather. It is the manner in which it is done. All thing things which are done in the name of culture are loathable. All that wastage of money, time, energies, resources and spirit could be ignored, as that is the norm here.

But it is the wastage of precious lives, which is alarming. A kite flier could turn into a cold-blooded murderer in no time. “Door” (strong thread, dipped in the cut glass or it could be a metal wire) have proved to be lethal time and again. When this time of year comes, newspaper are littered with the news of children and elders having lost their lives while travelling on bikes, when the “door” cut their throats.

Government is not entirely to blame. Its the people who matter after all. They need to change their mind set and approach. They need to give more credence to the fact that human life is much more important than to cut the neighbour’s kite. On the sheer pressure of people, government has allowed this festival for two days, while chanting all sorts of cautions. Government has also outlined a workable operating procedure to lessen the ill-effects of Basant. They have even announced the reward of Rs. 5000, for anyone who reports the usage of metal wire by anyone as a “Door”.

But in my opinion, the change should be coming from the people.

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