Punjab: Retreat ceremony for public along Pak border to resume from May 21

Amritsar | The Border Security Force (BSF) has said the public flag-lowering retreat ceremony at three locations in Punjab along the Pakistan frontier will begin on Wednesday, about two weeks after it was stopped following Operation Sindoor by India in response to the Pahalgam attack.

The Jalandhar headquartered Punjab frontier of the force said the ceremony will resume from Tuesday, but it will be open only for media persons. The public can participate from Wednesday, it said, adding the event time will be 6 pm.

Officials said on Monday that the event held daily in the evening at Attari, Hussainiwala and Sadki will be opened for public viewing from May 20.

The ceremony, however, will be curtailed as BSF troops will not shake hands with Pakistan Rangers, and the gates will not be opened during the flag-lowering process as declared earlier, officials had said.

The flag was being lowered each day by BSF troops irrespective of the public presence, the officials clarified.

The BSF on May 8 stopped public entry for this event at these three locations, citing "public safety".

The decision was taken a day after India destroyed nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory military offensive against the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead.

It had, days after the attack, declared that the public ceremony would be conducted, but without opening the border gates and the traditional shaking of hands between the BSF and Rangers.

The Indian flag is lowered every evening by BSF troops in synchronisation with Pakistan Rangers at the joint check posts located at Attari (Amritsar district) opposite Pakistan's Wagah, Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district across Ganda Singh Wala and at Sadki in Fazilka district.