Beating retreat continues undeterred

Undeterred by a suicide bomb attack in Wagah, India and Pakistan on Monday conducted the beating retreat ceremony at Wagah after initially deciding not to go ahead with the daily ritual for three days.

The ceremony was conducted on Monday evening after the Pakistan Rangers approached BSF at about 4 pm seeking its consent, as earlier they had decided not to conduct the function following the attack, which killed over 60 people on the Pakistani side of the border.

Sources said Pakistan wanted to send a message to the terrorists that they would not be cowed down by such attacks, and India responded positively.
The ceremony was low key at the Indian side, as it got only about an hour to prepare for it. There was no public presence at the Indian side, while Pakistan had allowed people to watch the flag-lowering function, which usually attracts hundreds of visitors on both sides.

A senior BSF official said they would hold the full ceremony from Tuesday evening, and allow public to watch as usual. “Today, it was very late for us to conduct the full drill,” he said.

Major General Asim Bajwa, Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), tweeted, “Flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah Border, held with same fervour, shows resolve of the nation. We stand united to eliminate terrorism.”

Along the International Border, India has stepped up vigil with intensified patrolling and deployment of more personnel. Officials said security personnel have been put on alert following the blast. The movement of vehicles between India and Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah route has come to a halt after the incident, they said.

It could remain suspended for some more days, and it all depends on Pakistan's readiness to restart the movement of vehicles.  BSF and Pakistan Rangers officials had received prior inputs about a possible strike at the Wagah border ahead of the attack. Security was beefed up on both sides as Wagah could be a tempting target for terrorists.

With the beating retreat ceremony being held as usual, the Indian side is stepping up security in Attari village. Officials said safety measures would be strengthened further.