The Lahore High Court (LHC) has dismissed a petition challenging the proposed 10-day duration of the 2027 Basant festival in Lahore, directing the petitioner to file the case again with the relevant official notification.
Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the petition filed by lawyer Shahid Islam, who sought to reduce the proposed festival period from 10 days to a single day over concerns about public safety, accidents and disruptions to daily life.
During the hearing, the court questioned the legal basis of the petition, noting that no official notification confirming the proposed 10-day schedule had been presented.
The judge observed that the court could not proceed on the basis of information available only on a website without an official document establishing the government’s decision.
LHC Questions Absence of Official Notification
During the proceedings, Justice Chaudhry asked the petitioner’s counsel whether he had submitted the official notification under which Basant 2027 was scheduled to take place over 10 days.
The judge questioned how the petition could be maintained without documentary evidence confirming the proposed festival arrangements.
Justice Chaudhry also asked how the court could determine whether the proposed duration violated fundamental human rights when the relevant notification had not been produced.
The court indicated that the petitioner needed to provide the official document before the government’s proposed arrangements could be examined from a legal perspective.
The judge remarked that, once the notification was available, the court could seek the government’s position on whether the proposed festival arrangements infringed upon fundamental rights.
Court Raises Questions About Petition Filing
The court also expressed surprise that the Registrar’s Office had not raised objections to the petition before it was placed before the judge for a hearing.
During the proceedings, Justice Chaudhry questioned the petitioner’s counsel about the filing process and asked why a fine should not be imposed on him.
The court subsequently dismissed the petition as unnecessary in its present form and directed the petitioner to file it again with the relevant official notification.
The dismissal was linked to the absence of the required document. The court’s direction leaves the petitioner to pursue the matter again by submitting the notification needed to support the legal challenge.
Petitioner Cites Safety Risks During Basant
The petition sought to challenge the proposed 10-day schedule for Basant 2027, arguing that extending the festival over such a period could increase public safety risks.
According to the petition, standard operating procedures (SOPs) had not been established for the celebrations. It also referred to the 2026 Basant festivities, claiming that the event had resulted in dozens of deaths.
The petitioner argued that holding the festival for 10 days could expose residents to a greater risk of accidents and interfere with routine activities across Lahore.
On these grounds, the petitioner asked the court to declare the announcement concerning Basant 2027 null and void.
He also requested directions to the relevant authorities to reduce the festival’s proposed duration from 10 days to just one day.
However, the court’s immediate concern during the hearing was the absence of an official notification confirming the schedule being challenged.
What Happens Next in the Basant Case?
The Lahore High Court has directed the petitioner to submit the relevant notification if he wishes to pursue the challenge again.
The document would provide the formal basis for examining the proposed festival arrangements and allow the court to seek a response from the government, if necessary.
The case highlights the importance of supporting legal challenges with official records, particularly when petitioners seek judicial intervention against government decisions or proposed public events.
The court has not, through this dismissal, issued a ruling on the merits of the petitioner’s safety concerns. Instead, it directed him to address the documentary shortcoming before bringing the matter back to court.
Whether the proposed 10-day duration will face another legal challenge will depend on the petitioner’s next steps and the availability of the required notification.
For now, the petition seeking to restrict Basant 2027 to a single day has been dismissed, with the court directing the petitioner to file it again with the relevant documentation.
