The Lahore High Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging the Punjab government’s plan to hold the Basant festival 2027 over ten days, after the petitioner failed to satisfy the court that the plea was maintainable. Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the petition and ruled that it could not proceed without a formal government notification to challenge.
The petition had been filed by a citizen, Shahid Islam, against the announced plan to celebrate Basant from January 29 to February 7, 2027. The provincial government had been made a respondent through the chief secretary, the home secretary, the deputy commissioner, the inspector general of police and the capital city police officer of Lahore, among others.
Basant festival 2027: why the court refused to hear the plea
At the outset of the hearing, the judge asked the petitioner’s counsel how the proposed festival could be challenged when no formal notification had been issued. The counsel replied that information about the proposed celebrations had been taken from the government’s website and newspapers.
Justice Chaudhry observed that a petition could not rest on unverified information. He directed the counsel to obtain the official notification before questioning the government’s decision, adding that the petitioner could seek a certified copy of the notification under the right to information law.
The judge also summoned the additional registrar (judicial) to explain why no objection had been raised against the petition during its scrutiny. When the counsel referred to the previous ban on Basant and alleged deaths reported during the festival last year, the judge directed him to limit his arguments to the law.
The court further noted its concern over the petitioner repeatedly interrupting the proceedings despite being represented by counsel. The petition was dismissed as withdrawn by the petitioner.
What the ruling means for Lahore
The order clears the way, for now, for the Punjab government’s plan to stage a full ten-day Basant in early 2027. The festival, once the signature event of Lahore’s spring calendar, is being revived after years in which kite flying remained banned over safety concerns. Feature Pakistan earlier reported the announcement of the 2027 celebrations and the restrictions placed on kite deliveries ahead of the event.
Friday’s ruling does not decide the merits of holding Basant. It decides only that a court cannot strike down a festival plan that exists, so far, in announcements rather than in a notified order. If the government issues a formal notification for the January 29 to February 7 schedule, a fresh challenge could still be filed, and it would then be tested on its legal merits.
For the city, the practical effect is continuity. Traders, kite makers and food streets that had begun preparing for the ten-day event can continue, while the government’s safety framework, including the monitoring of kite string sales, remains the instrument through which the festival will be managed.
The Punjab government has in recent weeks been active on several Lahore fronts, from the Punjab Assembly’s summons to the Gymkhana Club over its land lease to the Rs5.61 billion Sahiwal development package. The Basant decision adds a legal affirmation to its cultural calendar.
Original reporting: Dawn.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the LHC reject the plea against Basant?
The court found the petition was not maintainable because there was no formal government notification to challenge. The judge said a plea could not be based on information taken from a website and newspapers.
When is the Basant festival 2027 planned?
The Punjab government has announced the festival from January 29 to February 7, 2027, a ten-day celebration in Lahore.
Can the decision be challenged again?
Yes. The judge directed the petitioner to obtain the official notification first. Once a formal notification exists, a fresh petition can be filed and heard on its merits.
