BSF keeps Attari gates closed, no customary handshakes now

AMRITSAR: After India decided to suspend passenger movement through Integrated Check Post, BSF chose not to open the Indo-Pak border gates at Attari or engage in the customary handshake with their counterparts from Pakistan Rangers during the daily Beating Retreat ceremony .

Atul Fulzele, IG, BSF, Punjab Frontier, said Thursday BSF will continue to conduct daily flag-lowering ceremonies at Attari, Sadiqi, and Hussainiwala, but will neither open border gates nor engage in the customary handshake. Security was intensified at all three border posts - Attari, Sadiqi and Hussainiwala.

In light of tension between the two countries, BSF has deployed quick response teams and implemented anti-drone measures at all three border posts, Fulzele said.

Following Pahalgam attack, many Pak nationals cut short their India visit and reached Attari border to cross over to the other side. As many as 28 of them left for Pakistan, while 105 passengers have arrived from Pakistan.

Sheikh Fazal, of Karachi, who reached India on April 15 on a 45-day visa with his extended family to attend a family function, left for Pakistan. So did Pak national Mansoor, who was in India on a 90-day visa. He said innocent individuals were being made to suffer for the actions of others.

Samjhauta Express, which runs between Attari and Lahore every Thursday & Monday covering nearly 29km, also remains suspended, as do bus services between the two countries. Chamba senior SP Abhishek Yadav said police have strengthened its posts bordering Kathua, Doda, and Kishtwar districts of J&K. Two companies of ITBP were also deployed in Chamba.