Border Security Force of Punjab Frontier on Thursday announced that India is scaling down the famous retreat ceremony that is attended by thousands of tourists on both sides of the border i.e., India and Pakistan. BSF's announcement came a day after India announced that it has decided to close the Attari Integrated Checkpost - located along the international border between India and Pakistan in Punjab at a distance of about 28 km from Amritsar - with immediate effect. The decision has come in the aftermath of the Pahalgam Terror Attack in which 26 innocent tourists were slaughtered by Pakistani terrorists.
BSF announced that there will be no handshake between the Indian and Pakistani Rangers during the retreat ceremony. Also, the gates at the border will not be opened even for the retreat ceremony. Below is what BSF notified-
"𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲
In the wake of the recent tragic attack in Pahalgam, a calibrated decision has been taken to scale down the ceremonial display during the Retreat Ceremony at Attari, Hussainiwala, and Sadki in Punjab.
The key changes include:
- Suspension of the symbolic handshake of Indian Guard Commander with the counterpart Guard Commander.
- Gates to remain closed during the ceremony.
This step reflects India's serious concern over cross-border hostilities and reaffirms that peace and provocation cannot coexist."
PM Modi's warning to Pakistan without taking their name
In his first address following the barbaric terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday issued a strong and unequivocal message to the perpetrators of the violence, asserting that India will pursue them to the "ends of the Earth" and that terrorism will not go unpunished.
Speaking at a massive gathering in Madhubani, Bihar, on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, the Prime Minister condemned the "cowardly" attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, mostly tourists. He called upon the public to observe a two-minute silence in memory of the victims.
"From the soil of Bihar, I want to tell the world -- India will identify, trace, and punish every terrorist and their backers," PM Modi declared.
"We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure justice. The nation is united in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us," he said.