Shut gates, no handshakes: Attari retreat ceremony 'scaled down'

During the nearly 30-minute ceremony, BSF personnel and the Pakistan Rangers lowered their national flags, but they did not shake hands as the gates remained closed.

Sources said India had taken a calibrated decision to scale down the ceremonial display during the retreat ceremonies at three border points with Pakistan — Attari, Hussainiwala and Sadqi.

According to the BSF, the key change was the suspension of the symbolic handshake of the Indian guard commander with his counterpart. "The gates will now remain closed during the ceremony," the BSF said.

Since 1959, the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers have been engaged in a daily military drill at the Attari-Wagah border.

Earlier, there was uncertainty over holding of the ceremony at Attari. It was only late in afternoon that BSF personnel allowed entry to tourists.

After watching the ceremony, Om Prakash Punia, a visitor from Rajasthan’s Churu, said Indian spectators expressed their anger against the terror attack by raising patriotic slogans. The number of spectators in the Pakistan gallery was negligible, he said.

Meanwhile, the Land Port Authority of India, which manages the Integrated Check Post (ICP), did not allow any cargo trucks from Afghanistan to cross over today. It had received 17 trucks on April 23 and 31 trucks on April 22. Normally, 15 to 20 truckloads of dry fruit, spices, herbs and fresh fruit from Afghanistan arrive daily.

The ICP had recorded highest-ever import to the tune of over Rs 3,700 crore in the 2023-24 FY since it opened 12 years ago. At present, the Attari ICP is permitted to receive only imports from Afghanistan for which Pakistan offers a transit corridor.

After the CCS decision to suspend visas of Pakistan nationals in India and advice to Indians in the neighbouring country to return, 133 persons crossed over via the joint check-post on Thursday. While 105 Indians returned via the border, 28 Pakistan nationals crossed over to their country.

Sheikh Sadar Ahmad from Karachi and Rajesh Kumar from Kashmor (Pakistan) had to cut short their visit in India to return to their native places. Condemning the terror attack, they sought fair probe to nail the accused and sought bonhomie among the neighbouring countries.