Beating Retreat Ceremonies Halted at Punjab Borders Amid Rising India-Pakistan Tensions:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : The BSF has called off the Beating 'Retreat' ceremonied for the Attari-Wagah, Hussainwala, and Sadki Punjab border check-posts indefinitely. The decision was made due to the ongoing security worries stemming from the relations between India and Pakistan which are rapidly worsening, as reported by PTI.

The ceremony’s suspension comes on the heels of 'Operation Sindoor', which India launched as a retaliation to the attack on Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 individuals lost their lives in a terrorist attack, mainly being tourists. Indian Air Force is believed to have conducted cross-border raids on nine suspected terrorist installations in Pakistan and PoK, which included active infrastructure for JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and several other terror outfits. These raids are purported to be one of the most largescale border aggression exercises since the year 1971.

Border Security with Public Needs Primary Attention

As confirmed by an official spokesperson of the BSF, the restrictions will remain enforced on all three joint checkposts until further notice is received. For security reasons, access for the general public has been restricted,’ the spokesperson mentioned. As such, barriers have been erected and paths leading to the border have been blocked completely.

The Retreat ceremony, which has long been an essential feature of Indian Pakistani diplomacy, began in the year 1959. The event includes a carefully orchestrated march and the famous handshake between the border security force and the Pakistan Rangers. In the past few days, the BSF has already started to cut back on some of these customs, not only removing the handshake but also barring the opening of border gates to civilians.

Visitors Disappointed, Supportive of National Security Measures

As was noted in The Tribune, for tourists who come to visit Attari-Wagah border, the event had to be halted which was quite disappointing. But many were also fully supportive of ‘security-first’ policy of the government.

Even though the ceremony has been suspended, the BSF with the Pakistan Rangers still continue with the ritual of the flag lowering sunset ceremony, without any public or ceremonial hustle and bustle.

Historical Precedents and Ongoing Security Review

This isn’t the first time the ceremony has been cancelled. Similar measures were adopted after the Wagah suicide bombing in 2014 and the Pulwama terror attack in 2019. The BSF’s stance is that the suspension is on a temporary basis but to be reviewed later depending on the tightening or loosening of the security scenario.