But other government officials have suggested there is more to the ban than safety. Sajjad Bhutta, a top Lahore district officer, has said Basant involves immoral drinking and parties that cannot be tolerated in a Muslim society. He declined to elaborate on those views in an interview.
Muhammad Raghib Naeemi, head of one of Lahore's largest religious schools, cited many reasons to drop kite-flying, including its ties to Hindu culture and its origins allegedly linked to a man accused of committing blasphemy against the prophet Muhammad. The perils of the festival and the depravity associated with it only strengthen the need for the prohibition, he said.
|