Kashmir Digits

For the first time in J&K Border Security Forces (BSF) will start a retreat ceremony will start along the Indo-Pak International Border on Saturday.

The ceremony will take place in Suchetgarh village of Ranbir Singh Pura Sector Jammu. The Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha will be the chief guest at the ceremony.

This is the first border point in Jammu and Kashmir where the ceremony will be held. However, the Pakistan Rangers will not perform a similar ceremony on their side of the International Border (IB) and the structured parade will be done only by the BSF.

Manoj Sinha said that the ceremony is aimed to boost border tourism in the region.

“The Retreat Ceremony will be a regular feature after its inauguration and will enthral the tourists on the lines of the Wagah Border, Amritsar Punjab,” the officials said, adding that though there will be no participation from the Pakistan side, the BSF will, however, “make it a daily feature.”

Tourism department along with other sister concern-agencies have developed suitable infrastructure in Suchetgarh close to India-Pakistan International Border for the retreat ceremony under Border Tourism development programme.

The ceremony at the Border Observation Post (BOP) at Suchetgarh is expected to attract locals and tourists. Successive governments in J&K have made efforts to promote Suchetgarh in Ranbirsinghpura a place for border tourism.

During the pre-partition era, Suchetgarh housed the last octroi post of the kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir and after it, the Sialkot district now in Pakistani Punjab begins. The place had a rail and road link with Sialkot.

The colourful Retreat Ceremony is performed at three places, Wagah, Ferozepur and Fazilka, in Punjab by the BSF and by the Pakistan Rangers across the IB.