Bitter Diwali: No exchange of sweets by Indo-Pak jawans in Attari border amidst heightened tension

In a departure from the past, BSF did not exchange sweets and greetings with Pakistani Rangers at Indo-Pak Attari/Wagah border on Diwali with the move coming in the wake of the heightened tension between the two countries. The exchange of sweets on Diwali did not happen, a BSF official, without elaborating further, said.

Both BSF and the Pakistani Rangers have in the past followed the tradition of exchanging sweets and gifts on national festivals like Diwali and Eid, as well as on the occasion of the Independence day functions of the two neighbouring countries.

However, during the past 2-3 years, the border guarding forces on either side have not exchanged sweets on few occasions. This year, the BSF's decision comes in the backdrop of the heightened tension between the two nations with growing incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border, especially after the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes targeting terror launch pads in PoK.