Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, has said that neither she nor her party ever asked people not to celebrate Basant, adding that she herself flew kites at home during the festival.
Speaking to the media outside the Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi, Aleema Khan said, “We never told anyone not to celebrate Basant.
Who can stop Lahoris from celebrating it? Everyone could see the passion — even children were flying kites.”
She said her son went out on 6 February to celebrate Basant with his children, while she also participated by flying kites at home.
“My elder son is very fond of Basant. It is extremely difficult to stop Lahoris from celebrating it. This was not any party’s Basant,” she added.
Commenting on the protest held a day earlier, Aleema Khan said it was highly successful. “People protested quietly, just as they had quietly cast their votes. Earlier they told people to stay at home, now they tell them to come out,” she said.
She added that those who wanted to protest by closing shops did so, while those who chose not to participate stayed away. “The protest was successful, no matter what anyone says,” she remarked.
Aleema Khan also said that cases pending in the Supreme Court over the past two years had seen progress, noting that a three-member bench has now been formed to hear appeals.
