Stone throwing, anti-India slogans by Pak gallery sully Wagah border ceremony

The prevailing tension between the neighbours spilled onto a usually peaceful exercise, as a stone was hurled into the Indian gallery at the Attari border and anti-India slogans were shouted during the retreat ceremony on Sunday.

The prevailing tension between the neighbours spilled onto a usually peaceful exercise, as a stone was hurled into the Indian gallery from the Pakistan side at the Wagah border and anti-India slogans were shouted during the retreat ceremony on Sunday.

Indian and Pakistani flags are lowered during a daily retreat ceremony at the India-Pakistan joint border check post of Attari-Wagah near Amritsar. (AP File Photo)

A Border Security Force official confirmed the incident.

Ever since the Uri terror attack and India’s subsequent surgical strike on “launch pads” up to three kilometres from the Line of Control, India-Pakistan relations have been fraught with tension. The public was earlier denied entry to the ceremony over fears of retaliation to the strikes by the Indian Army, but about 300 spectators filled the stands on Sunday.

During the retreat ceremony, a stone was thrown from the Pakistani side of the border and anti-India slogans such as “Kashmir banega Pakistan” were also shouted.

Though no injuries were reported, the incident has worsened an already deteriorating situation between the countries.

A flag meeting between the BSF and Pakistani Rangers was held to discuss belligerence of the Pakistani crowd, ANI reported.

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