Top > Sport > 2006 > March > 2006-03-13

No Kite Flying in Much of Pakistan

Kite-flying is now illegal in some provinces in Pakistan. The ban follows a number of deaths in recent days, mostly in the provincial capital Lahore, caused by glass-coated or metal kite-strings. The latest victim was a four-year-old boy whose throat was slit by a glass-coated string.

Because of that, authorities in the Lahore region are banning kites. The edict comes as the city prepares for a weekend festival that normally brings out thousands of kites. The kites become dangerous when people reinforce the strings with wire or ground glass to duel other kites. When kite strings cross, the winner cuts loose the opponent`s kite.

Police are promising to enforce the ban. They say they`ve already arrested 74 people since the start of the ban for flying or selling kites. And they say more than a thousand have been arrested this month for selling or making dangerous kite strings.