BSF resumes public viewing of Attari-Wagah retreat ceremony

New Delhi, September 17

The BSF has resumed the public viewing of the daily flag-lowering retreat ceremony along the India-Pakistan border front in Punjab, over a year and half after it was suspended due to the Covid outbreak, the force said on Friday.

A Border Security Force (BSF) spokesperson said it was allowed again from the Indian side on Wednesday with a limited number of the audience seated in the spectators gallery.

The over an hour-long event takes place at Attari, about 26 km from Amritsar city, opposite Wagah of Pakistan.

The public viewing was suspended by India on March 7 to contain the coronavirus spread.

India and Pakistan have been traditionally hosting the evening flag-lowering ceremonies at the Attari-Wagah border for many years now and the event is attended by a huge number of people from both countries as well as foreign nationals.

The BSF conducts the synchronised ceremony in coordination with their counterparts Pak Rangers and it involves lowering of the flags of the two countries along with foot-stomping manoeuvres of the troops with patriotic songs playing in the background. PTI