Ziauddin Ansari, Ameer of Jamaat e Islami Lahore, visited Yaseen at General Hospital to offer his support. He was accompanied by Kaisar Sharif, President of the Public Aid Committee Lahore, and local leaders Hafiz Liaqat Shahid, Dr. Burhan, and Ghulam Hussain Tabsum.
Speaking to the media outside the hospital, Ansari warned, ‘Basant is no longer a festival of joy, it has turned into a bloody game.’ He expressed concern over recent statistics, ‘In just 18 hours, two lives were lost and over 31 people injured.’
Ansari added, ‘Allowing Basant in narrow streets is akin to gambling with public safety.’ He urged the Punjab Chief Minister to immediately impose a ban, emphasizing that tragedies during the festival place a heavy burden of responsibility on the provincial government.
Highlighting safer alternatives, Ansari suggested, ‘Basant should be celebrated only in open fields or along the Ravi River, away from residential areas.’ He lamented the impact on families, noting, ‘During Basant, the lights in homes go out not because of darkness, but because of grief.’
The party also demanded FIRs for all accidents and fatalities occurring during the festival, underscoring their insistence on accountability and public safety.
