LAHORE:
After decades of strenuous efforts to curb kite-flying, aerial firing and unicycling, the Lahore police approached religious scholars for support and obtained an injunction from Jamia Naemia, which has declared these dangerous activities un-Islamic.
The fatwa has been shared with the public on Wednesday through an official handout issued by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Faisal Kamran. Addressing the media, Kamran, DIG Operations, Lahore, said that Islam unequivocally forbade any action that put one’s life at risk.
The fatwa, written by Mufti Imran Hanfi and approved by Allama Dr. Mufti Muhammad Raghib Hussain Naemi, Principal of Jamia Naemia, emphasizes the sanctity of human life in Islamic teachings. It categorically states that any action that endangers human life is un-Islamic.
“Any action that endangers human life is against Islamic teachings. These activities amount to suicide, which is strictly prohibited in Islam,” stated the fatwa, which came at the request of a citizen, Muhammad Ali Naqshbandi, who had addressed the clerics who sought guidance on the matter.
“Police will continue with strict efforts to curb these deadly activities,” DIG Faisal Kamran told the press conference. “We also seek the cooperation of parents to ensure that their children stay away from such illegal and un-Islamic pursuits,” he added.
Deadly blandness
The three activities have repeatedly proved fatal as the use of sharp kite lines claimed several lives, aerial firing has caused countless deaths and injuries, while unicycling remains a leading cause of road accidents.
In January alone, police arrested 151 people for unicycle driving and registered 150 cases related to kite flying. In addition, 118 people were arrested for shooting from the air. DIG Kamran stressed that the authorities would maintain their repression to deter these violations.
The issuance of the fatwa comes as part of the Lahore Police’s latest strategy to tackle a problem that has persisted for over two decades despite a zero-tolerance policy. The police have registered thousands of cases and carried out several crackdowns during this period, but violations are still widespread.
In 2024, the Lahore police registered an average of eight cases a day against kite flying and arrested a similar number of people. Between January and 30 November 2024, a total of 2,767 cases were registered, with an equal number of arrests in Lahore alone.
Other regions of Punjab also reported significant violations. In Sheikhupura, 1,171 cases were recorded, 2,027 cases in Gujranwala, 388 in Gujrat, 1,011 in Rawalpindi, 2,866 in Faisalabad, 632 in Multan and 541 in Sahiwal.
Persistent problem
Provincial data from 2024 revealed the severity of the problem across Punjab. A total of 3,595 cases of aerial firing were recorded, resulting in the arrest of 5,412 people. Of these, 3,865 offenders were convicted and 2,816 statements were filed. In Lahore, 523 cases were reported, with 572 arrests.
For one-wheeler driving, 3,170 cases were registered across the province, leading to 3,365 arrests. Lahore accounted for a significant share with 1,641 cases and 1,569 arrests. The statistics showed that the problem had not abated despite extensive efforts.
The police have tried several strategies – from community awareness campaigns to improved patrolling – but with limited success. The recent reliance on religious teachings appeared to be an attempt to reinforce police repression with moral and spiritual guidance.
By involving religious scholars, authorities hope to create a strong deterrent against these life-threatening activities. The fatwa is in accordance with Islamic principles and takes advantage of the respect and influence that the clerics have in society to deter individuals from engaging in these dangerous pursuits.
DIG Faisal Kamran reiterated the importance of a collective effort to eliminate this practice. “Parents must play their part in supervising their children and discouraging illegal activities. Community cooperation is essential to ensure public safety,” he said.
