LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notices to Punjab inspector general of police (IGP), chief secretary and others in a writ petition filed against lifting on Basant festival in the province. During the hearing, the court directed the parties to submit their replies till January 15 (today).

Earlier, LHC had sought replies from Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, chief secretary and IG Amjad Javed Saleemi. The petitioner contended that it was unconstitutional to permit Basant celebration in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling against deadly festival which has claimed many lives. The chief secretary and IGP have not taken sufficient and essential measures to halt the deadly game.

It is the contempt of court’ not to follow the apex court’s orders, he added. On the other side, the government’s representative told the court that the final decision on celebration of Basant was not taken yet, however only an opinion in this regard was sought. It is to be mentioned here that Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan announced the government’s decision to lift the Basant ban and that it will be held in the second week of February.

Flanked by Secretary Information and Culture Bilal Ahmed Butt, Executive Director Alhamra Arts Council Athar Ali Khan and Additional Secretary Culture Akhter Abbas,  Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Fayazul Hassan Chohan announced resumption of Basant festival in the provincial metropolis in the second week of February next year.

Addressing a news conference at his Alhamra office last month, the minister informed media persons that a decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.

 “It has been decided to celebrate the Basant festival in the provincial metropolis during second week of February, 2019, after taking all the precautionary measures to prevent loss of human lives,” he said, adding that Basant festival reflected Punjab’s culture in true sense but was banned in the past due to incidents which caused human loss and damage to the public property.

Last Basant festival was celebrated in February 2007. The matter also remained in the Lahore High Court for some years. The court later conditionally allowed the festival with directions that the government should ensure public safety before holding the event.

The information minister further stated that an eight-member committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat to review the negative aspects of Basant festival. “The committee which comprises information minister, IG Punjab, secretary information as well as members of civil society and media will be reviewing all aspects of the festival and submit its recommendations to Punjab chief minister within eight days,” he said, adding the chief minister would decide to celebrate this festival in the light of committee’s recommendations. Fayaz Chohan said that Basant was a cultural, social and traditional festival which had nothing to do with any religion.