The Border Security Force and its Pakistani counterpart Pak Rangers on Wednesday exchanged sweets on the occasion of the 73rd Republic day of India.The officials of the BSF and Pak Rangers exchanged sweets and pleasantries.The exchange of sweets was suspended in the last two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic whereas earlier in 2018, the BSF skipped the tradition on January 26 over growing incidents of ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border.
Even in 2019, both border guarding forces of India and Pakistan did not exchange sweets and greetings on the occasion of Eid along the Attari-Wagah border as the Pakistan chose to skip the friendlier gesture at the border after the special status give to Jammu and Kashmir was revoked.
Similarly, after the surgical strike in October 2016, the BSF did not offer sweets to Pakistan Rangers.Because of the Covid pandemic, the flag lowering ceremony or Beating Retreat border ceremony have been suspended at Attari-Wagah border.The 'Beating Retreat' on the border has been observed since 1959.At the International Border between India and Pakistan, the pomp and pageantry of the Beating Retreat and the Change of Guard occur within the handshaking distance of the Indian and Pakistani forces. Wagah, an army outpost on the India-Pakistan border between Amritsar and Lahore, is an elaborate complex of buildings, roads and barriers on both sides. Soldiers from both the countries march in a drill, going through the steps of bringing down their respective national flags.Similar parades are organised at Mahavir/Sadqi border near Fazilka and Hussainiwala/Ganda Singh Wala border near Firozpur.