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Flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah border to become history
Satur day, October
30, 2010 10:43:34 PM, Awais Saleem, IANS
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Islamabad:
The traditionally hostile flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah
border post between India and Pakistan will become a relic of the
past after almost five decades from Monday as authorities from
both sides have agreed to do away with the show-piece event of
aggression.
The decision was reached in Lahore, capital of Pakistan's Punjab
province, Saturday after a meeting of visiting Director General of
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Raman Srivastava with Maj. Gen.
Yaqub Ali Khan, director general of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab).
"We have decided to end the angry eyeball-to-eyeball exchange,
thumping of boots and other aggressive gestures from the
flag-lowering parade," said Maj. Gen. Khan. "I had come to
Pakistan to extend a hand of friendship and feel happy that it has
been emphatically reciprocated," said Srivastava.
The animated display by the border guards had become synonymous
with the parade at Wagah border and was greeted by loud cheers and
slogan-mongering from spectators on both sides.
The traditional event always attracted spectacular coverage and
has been covered by almost every publication and TV channel around
the world.
"The jawans taking part in the flag-lowering ceremony will shake
hands properly from here onwards," the officials said.
Both sides also agreed to hold regular sports events between
Indian and Pakistani troops to promote friendship and ease
tensions.
A similar effort was also made to lessen animated gestures in the
parade during former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's tenure
when the peace process was initiated between both countries in
2004, but it could not last long as tensions resurfaced.
The current style of flag-lowering ceremony started at the Wagah
border in 1960.
The 19-member Indian delegation spent five days in Lahore to
discuss issues related to cross-border tensions, smuggling and
release of fishermen and will now pursue these points with their
respective governments to form a joint mechanism to resolve such
issues.
(Awais Saleem can be
contacted at
ians.pakistan@gmail.com)
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