Wagah shame: Stone thrown at India

ATTARI: Tensions ran high at the Attari-Wagah border on Sunday, when a miscreant from the Pakistani side hurled a stone into the Indian viewing gallery during the

ATTARI: Tensions ran high at the Attari-Wagah border on Sunday, when a miscreant from the Pakistani side hurled a stone into the Indian viewing gallery during the traditional evening retreat ceremony.

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Sources said Pakistani citizens were also heard hooting and shouting anti-India slogans.

Although authorities on the Indian side hadn’t been allowing spectators at the joint checkpoint ever since the Army undertook surgical strikes across the border on October 29, it let about 300 people witness the ceremony on Sunday. Sources said somebody from the Pakistani gallery flung the stone, following which loud hoots were heard. Miscreants also shouted slogans such as “Kashmir banega Pakistan (Kashmir will become Pakistan)”.

A Border Security Force (BSF) official confirmed the incident, but clarified that nobody was injured. Officials from both sides later held a flag meeting to discuss the issue.

The previous day’s edition of the retreat ceremony had witnessed Pakistanis coming in droves – turning the otherwise routine event into a show of patriotism and might. Very few people attended from the Indian side, mostly because BSF personnel had orders to prevent civilians from “coming within 10 kilometres” of the international border.

“But we won’t be stopping them anymore. It’s up to the public. If they feel confident, and reach in time for security procedures, they will be allowed inside,” said a BSF officer.