Basant festival revives Lahore's cultural spirit: Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday said the revival of the Basant festival in Lahore has breathed new life into the province’s cultural traditions.

Addressing a ceremony related to the Basant Festival, she said Basant holds deep roots in Punjab’s culture and credited the public for making the event a success. “People played their part and showed responsibility,” she remarked.

Maryam Nawaz praised the health, transport, and information departments for their coordination, while also commending local and international media for projecting a positive image of Punjab and its culture.

She said people from Karachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan visited Lahore to celebrate Basant, adding that the festival helped people forget their sorrows and differences, even if only for a while.

Referring to a protest call by PTI, the chief minister said the public ignored the strike, calling it a clear rejection of violence and chaos. “Punjab chose peace over provocation,” she said.

She acknowledged a few minor safety incidents but stressed that no deaths occurred due to kite string injuries. “This was once called a bloody Basant, but this time, the story changed,” she added.

Maryam Nawaz said the festival generated billions of rupees in business and extended celebrations until 5am on public demand, calling the response proof that culture can unite where politics divides.