KARACHI, 22 February — In spite of deep-seated concerns about future, in the light of a possible backlash from religious militants and the forthcoming general elections, this is springtime in Pakistan — literally as well as figuratively. The manner in which Basant, a spring festival marked by kite flying, was celebrated in Lahore on Sunday was ostensibly meant to convey the message that the country has entered a new era of liberal dispensation.

As it is, Lahore’s Basant has been a unique celebration, very much in the line of a carnival. But this year, the tempo was raised to an unprecedented level and the official media, radio and television, played a major role in whipping up popular excitement. Not only in Lahore, Basant was also celebrated in other cities and the ceremonies are expected to continue for some time.

As a backdrop to this festive mood, assessments about the outcome of President Pervez Musharraf’s visit to the United States last week and his talks with President George Bush have generally been very upbeat. Though the saga of kidnapped American journalist Daniel Pearl has continued to cast its shadow, unambiguous US support for the present regime is seen to be very reassuring. Commentators have noted the warmth with which the American leaders received Musharraf. Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Joe Biden, went as far as to say that “never before in history was there a visit here by a leader to whom the United States was so beholden and thankful.”

An environment of hope was also generated by a two-day Conference of International Chamber of Commerce, which ended in Karachi on Monday. It raised expectations of increased foreign participation in the growth of the economy. Addressing the concluding session of the conference, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz said that Pakistan has been through a long and harsh winter but spring was now beginning to set in on country’s economic scene. There is little doubt that in the wake of Pakistan’s close alliance with the United States, scope for foreign private investment has brightened.

It would appear that the present administration is consciously promoting festive activities. A major shift was noted when no restrictions were visible on New Year celebrations. For many years, major hotels were told by the administration not to hold any New Year parties and all festivities were restricted to private places. One reason for this restraint was opposition to such functions from militant groups and there were cases of hooliganism outside venues of New Year parties. But this time, people felt more liberated and the festivities would have been more riotous if the absence of restrictions on these celebrations had been known much in advance.

What could be described as a prelude to Basant, a large number of people from the urban middle-class celebrated Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14. The Westernized young have been observing this occasion in the past but the scale was much higher this year and the commercial activity that went with it reflected the difference in the overall mood and an officially sanctioned sense of freedom, at least in the social domain. This sense of freedom is also evident in the media and the fact that the government is now allowing private TV and radio channels is quite relevant in the present context.

With the administration’s patronage, Basant has acquired a significant social and economic importance. According to newspaper reports, this year’s event generated business worth two billion rupees. It is also a tourist attraction and a large number of Pakistani expatriates and foreigners travel to Lahore on the designated date. There has been some lament that the festival is being taken over by those who do not fly kites for the joy of it but are compulsive consumers. It has become an occasion for nightlong parties and numerous events, including board meetings and conferences that are used as an excuse to be in Lahore at that time.

However, all this joy that glows on the surface is bound to be tinged with somber thoughts about the implications of the constitutional reforms that the military regime is drafting. The purpose, mainly, is to allow Musharraf to remain in power for five more years, as he has himself decided, even when the October elections are meant to “restore” a democratic dispensation. The two former prime ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, are in exile and the present government would not allow them to participate in the forthcoming elections. But the role that their parties can play when the political campaign picks up is prompting a lot of suspense.

There is serious anxiety among observers about the long-term impact of constitutional amendments the purpose of which is solely to allow Musharraf to stay in power. As Dawn newspaper noted in a recent editorial, constitutional deviations have done enormous harm to Pakistan, if you bear in mind the record of military rulers. It said: “Constitutions and democracy cannot be strengthened by unconstitutional and undemocratic means.”