Pakistan, March 26 -- Waving goodbye to blues, flittering kites used to litter Lahore's skyline every year as people united across religions and regions to embrace the colours of spring. But while the tradition died a death of its own, thanks to a total ban imposed by the Punjab government in 2005, some faint whispers of kite flying continued-away from the radar.

The festivity seems to have finally run its course as Punjab Police intensifies its crackdown on kite flying. In the wake of two tragic deaths in Sargodha and Faisalabad, one of which has been heart-wrenchingly making rounds on social media, CM Maryam Nawaz has ordered an immediate operation against whoever makes, sells and buys chemical strings.

As before, the blanket ban has ...