Friday Photo: Pakistan's killer kites

Posted By Blake Hounshell Friday, January 5, 2007 - 3:00 PM Share

RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP/Getty Images

A Pakistani man prepares special thread used in kite flying in Karachi, 25 January 2006. The two-day festival of Basant marking the start of spring begin this evening with thousands of revellers perched on rooftops.

That was last year. This year's kite festival promises to be festive now that the provincial government has again temporarily lifted a ban on kite-flying. The Pakistani Supreme Court had outlawed kites in 2005 after some folks were actually killed by kite strings that had been coated with glass or metal for extra competitive punch. The original decision was supported by many Islamists, who see the sport of kite-flying as "un-Islamic."

EXPLORE:FRIDAY PHOTO, PHOTO, SOUTH ASIA, CULTURE, PAKISTAN, PHOTOGRAPHS

Passport, FP’s flagship blog, brings you news and hidden angles on the biggest stories of the day, as well as insights and under-the-radar gems from around the world.