RAWALPINDI: The district administration on Monday started detaining people for violation of Section 144 over kite-flying as it issued detention orders for 86 people under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.

Under Section 3 of the MPO, the deputy commissioner has the authority to detain a person for up to 15 days. However, in spite of Section 144, the admin has failed to control kite-flying and aerial firing.

On the other hand, the citizens, expressing their concerns regarding the detention orders, have challenged the order in the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench. The hearing is expected on Tuesday (today).

According to the complaint, the police asked the district administration to detain people on the basis of old cases. According to the district administration officials, the administration issued detention orders for people arrested in kite-flying cases at the request of the police.

It said that police have been strictly instructed to prominently mention the age of the accused while sending the cases to the administration for detention. After the death of three people as a result of the aerial firing, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha established a special squad to deal with the issue of kite-flying.

Detention orders for 86 people in Pindi; 29 booked in Islamabad

A special squad comprising the union council secretary, concerned patwari, and Civil Defence officials has been assigned the duty in all union councils of the district. Along with the police force, this squad operates on the roofs of houses owing to easy access to individuals flying kites. The commissioner directed that these squads as well as police teams should be vigilant to put an end to kite-flying in the city.

The commissioner said no one would be allowed to violate the law and cases would be registered against the kite sellers. However, despite the formation of the special squads, kite-flying still continues across the city.

The youngsters were seen on rooftops flying kites with synthetic strings while scores of children could be seen running on roads and in streets carrying sticks to catch kites.

Residents of the garrison city said that the ban on kite-flying should be implemented and sellers needed to be arrested if the government wanted to put an end to this practice.

Crackdown in Islamabad

Separately, Islamabad’s district administration apprehended 29 accused violators and lodged cases against offenders involved in kite-flying, APP reported. During the raids, the teams “confiscated the kites, flying strings, metallic wire, and nylon cord”, said a press release quoted by APP.

The administration under Section 144 prohibited the owners and occupants of houses, shops, hospitals, and buildings from flying kites on their rooftops. A ban has also been imposed on the sale of kites.

In a bid to ensure the ban on the activity, the Secretariat assistant commissioner raided an area in Bara Kahu and booked seven individuals. In addition to that the Nilore AC arrested six violators and seized the kite-flying material.

The City AC also raided residential and commercial areas in Aabpara and arrested five offenders while the Industrial AC arrested five individuals. Following a crackdown in Sihala, cases were registered against six violators.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2023