A favourite activity of Lahoris during Eid holidays is to visit some park or the zoo. The children, in particular, like to have fun outdoors.

This year, as the Lahore Zoo remained shut because of the ongoing uplift work, it was the city parks — such as Racecourse, Greater Iqbal, Model Town, Lawrence Garden, Jallo Botanical Garden and Gulshan-i-Iqbal — that saw a greater influx of visitors, chiefly families.

Unfortunately, the joy and excitement of visitors to the Racecourse Park was turned to grief as they witnessed three children injure themselves while playing at a jumping castle installed in the park. The children were rushed to the nearby Services Hospital where they received emergency medical treatment.

The incident happened on the day after Eid. According to a canteen salesperson, “More than two dozen children were playing [at the jumping castle] when we heard a bang.” A vendor of remote-controlled toy cars, who also happened to be there at the time, says the jumping castle collapse did not cause any injuries. “The children got hurt because they fell over one another.”

Earlier, on February 25, tragedy befell a young couple whose one-year-old daughter was killed after she hit her head against the metal swing in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park. The victim, identified as Meerab Muzaffar, did not recover from the injuries. Her mother, Sobat Muzaffar, who had been holding her at the time, was also injured and remained hospitalised for a few days.

The incident captured the attention of the media. It also raised serious concerns with regard to the safety measures in place at public parks, besides leaving many parents wondering if seeking thrills was worth risking the lives of their children.

A criminal case was registered by the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police against the contractor and the project director. The first information report was lodged by Sobat’s cousin, Faizan, who nominated the contractor, Jamshed, for operating the zip-line swing in an irresponsible way.

After an initial inquiry, the police concluded that the deceased child’s parents were equally to blame for the incident.

The tragic incident of July 22, 2017, when four people, including a girl child, were injured after a swing collapsed in Joy Land, Fortress Stadium, is still fresh in public memory. Witnesses said that families were enjoying a swing ride when its axles broke, allegedly due to the operator going for unsafe acceleration.

A common thread in all these incidents is the negligence by contractors who seem to prioritise profits over the safety of the visitors.

“Such incidents are not just unfortunate; they are a consequence of systemic negligence on the part of the contractors as well as the visitors. Parks must invest in raising awareness among public regarding safe fun.”

The Parks and Horticulture Authority claims that trained staff is deployed at all public parks in order to control the crowds.

“The Eid holidays are always a challenge [for the staff],” says Younis, a security guard at Racecourse Park.

Over the years, the PHA has developed safety mechanisms and protocols for better operations, says the PHA director general, Tahir Wattoo. “This Eid-ul Fitr, we conducted a detailed safety audit of the swings in our parks before opening them to the public.

“The footfalls at the A-list parks in Lahore are in hundreds of thousands, which is proof of great public craving for recreation. The PHA offers a variety of fun activities to visitors, young and old alike. We believe that there’s still a need to develop more recreational spaces to accommodate the city’s 15 million people.”

Insiders say that many contractors operate with outdated equipment. The PHA protocols require that all equipment have fitness certificates from the Pakistan Engineering Council. The Authority also binds the operators to hire trained staff and follow the regulations with regard to age and the number of people at a facility.

Public safety experts say that when you are in a public park, it is necessary for the visitors to be aware of the lurking danger. Muhammad Farooq, a Rescue 1122 spokesperson, says, “Such incidents are not plain unfortunate, they are a consequence of negligence on the part of the contractors as well as the visitors. Parks must invest in raising awareness among public regarding safe fun.”

Farooq also says that riders of roller-coasters and merry-go-rounds must meet the age, height, weight and basic health standards; and follow the safety rules and operators’ instructions. “They should keep their limbs within the ride and secure loose items and remain seated until instructed to exit. Parents should ensure that children understand the importance of ride safety. If unsafe behaviour or conditions are observed, it should be reported to the supervisor immediately.

“Parents and thrill-seekers must prioritise safety over thrill, and take responsibility for their well-being,” he adds.

For now, the jumping castle at Racecourse Park has been closed to public.

Ahsan Malik is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship