Kites reclaim the Lahore sky

Rooftops of several buildings and hotels in Lahore packed with people flying kites and enjoying the festivities. Some buildings in prime locations charge upwards of US$10,000 for the three-day event. — Saiyna Bashir/The New York Times

FOR months, a relentless shroud of toxic smog weighed on Lahore, a seemingly endless grey that reduced it to one of the world’s most polluted cities.

But as winter gave way to sunnier days, the skies over the city in eastern Pakistan turned cloudless over the weekend and morphed into a glittering tapestry of kites.