LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced the cancellation of all Basant celebrations scheduled for Saturday in light of the suicide bombing that took place at an Imam Bargah in Islamabad.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Maryam Nawaz expressed her decision to call off all planned activities related to Basant, including the major event at Liberty Square.
“In light of the tragic incident in Islamabad, I am canceling all scheduled Basant activities for tomorrow,” she wrote on her official account.
She confirmed that the Mega Basant Show scheduled to be held at Liberty Square would also be called off.
Maryam Nawaz emphasized the need for national unity in the face of such tragedies, stating, “It is important that the nation remains united against the evil of the Khawarij and their sympathizers, showing no leniency towards them. We must stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces in defense of the country.”
Maryam Nawaz had announced the celebration of Basant in Lahore from February 6 to 8 with the central event scheduled for February 7 at Liberty Chowk.
The festivities had already begun the night before in Lahore, with citizens starting to fly kites. However, despite assurances from the authorities that all safety measures had been put in place to ensure the event would be secure, one person tragically lost his life and several others were injured due to kite string-related incidents.
