The iconic Beating Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border, a major tourist attraction and symbol of military pageantry between India and Pakistan, is likely to be suspended on Thursday following heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries. This development comes in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
While an official confirmation is still awaited, personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) stationed at the Attari border said they anticipate the ceremony will be cancelled. “We are also waiting for the order. This decision will be taken at the level of the government and then communicated to us,” a BSF officer, requesting anonymity, said. Another officer from the Amritsar district administration also stated they had received no formal instructions yet regarding the status of the ceremony or the movement of tourists to the site.
The potential suspension comes a day after the central government, in a strong response to the terror attack, announced several punitive diplomatic measures against Pakistan. These included the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, and a downgrading of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Sources revealed that the ICP at Attari will now only remain accessible to individuals with valid travel endorsements enabling them to return to India before May 1, 2025, a move expected to significantly reduce tourist inflow to the border.
Thousands of visitors, including both Indian and Pakistani citizens, gather daily at the Attari-Wagah border to witness the spirited joint military drill conducted by the BSF and Pakistan Rangers. The event, held each evening, symbolizes the complex yet ceremonial relationship between the two countries.
The government’s swift and stern response to the Pahalgam attack was deliberated during a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The CCS resolved to ensure justice for the victims and hold the masterminds and sponsors of the attack accountable.
While the public awaits a formal decision, the future of one of the region’s most cherished traditions hangs in the balance amid rising hostilities.
Sources By Agencies
