Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

Amritsar, Apr 24: In response to the Pahalgam terror massacre, the Border Security Force announced a trimmed-down Retreat Ceremony at Punjab’s Attari, Hussainiwala, and Sadki border posts with Pakistan. The nightly flag lowering drill, normally a rousing spectacle for hundreds of onlookers—including foreign tourists—will proceed without the customary handshake between Indian and Pakistani guards, and the border gates will remain shut throughout the ritual.

“This calibrated adjustment underscores India’s resolute stance against cross border hostilities,” stated the BSF’s Punjab Frontier command. Since its inception in 1959, the beating retreat has symbolized camaraderie between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers, complete with drills, flag lowering, and festive exchanges of sweets on occasions like Diwali and Eid.

However, rising diplomatic tensions—exacerbated by New Delhi’s recent actions (including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and closing the Attari Integrated Check Post)—have cast a shadow over the centuries old tradition. Although public viewings resumed in mid 2021 with a cap of 300 spectators (entry on a first come, first served basis), Thursday’s ceremony drew only a sparse crowd.

The Attari-Wagah complex, straddling the Radcliffe Line some 30?km from Amritsar and 22?km from Lahore, has alternately seen cancellations: India skipped the ceremony in 2019 amid ceasefire violations, and sweet exchanges halted after the 2016 surgical strikes. Now, with the Pahalgam atrocity still reverberating, the scaled back ceremony sends a clear message: while the retreat continues, truce and festivity give way to vigilance and resolve.