LAHORE, Dec 7: A full bench of the Supreme Court is scheduled to proceed here on Thursday (today) on the issue of dangerous aspects of kite-flying with a view to determine some sort of regulatory regime for the sport. Comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, Justice Syed Tasaddaq Husain Jilani and Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad, the apex court, through a suo moto notice, had banned kite-flying and the related trade for a period of one month in November.

The court had also directed the Punjab government to conduct a survey on the popularity of the sport. The court also directed Lahore city district government to submit a report on implementing the law governing kite-flying.

The Punjab government has since submitted a report of its survey, conducted across the province, stating that 70.3 per cent people were of the opinion that the sport should be banned and the manufacturing of kites and strings of all types should be prohibited.

The report said the opinion of 391 people was sought in the survey conducted after an advertisement in the press. The opinion poll suggested that 8.2 per cent people wanted the permission for kite-flying during the spring season and Basant festival which fell in February. Another 7.4 per cent wanted that kite-flying on rooftops be banned and parks and open spaces be allowed to be used for the sport. The report also said that 4.1 per cent people were against the manufacturing and use of sharp, chemical-coated string and the use of wire for kite-flying.

According to the report, the CDG had taken strict measures in getting the law against the ‘dangerous sport’ implemented by police, which arrested 65 offenders and took in custody kites and the related material worth Rs600,000 during the past three weeks. It said the campaign turned sluggish for some time because of the devastating earthquake which hit the country on Oct 8, but it was again picking up.