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Mint
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
The fiercest border fight: High kicks, mustache twirling and very long flagpoles
For India and Pakistan, size really does matter. At least when it comes to flagpoles. For years, the rival nations have indulged in elaborate, and competing, flag-lowering ceremonies at a border crossing called Wagah. Every day at sunset, paramilitary soldiers on both sides show off their patriotic fervor with energetic high kicks and foot stomping, while crowds cheer and chant slogans from opposing stadiums that directly face each other across the border fence. The ritual has fueled an escalating game of one-upmanship, which has only ratcheted up since May, when the two nuclear-armed neighbors clashed in a four-day conflict that tipped dangerously close to full-blown war. 'We cannot be seen any lesser than the Pakistan side—in height, in bearing," said Himanshu Yadav, assistant commandant in India's Border Security Force posted at the Wagah border. 'This is why very fine men get sent here." Tensions ran high even after a cease-fire deal. For a few days after peace resumed, some Indian soldiers broke long-established parade protocols by waving their fists repeatedly toward the Pakistani side and hurling insults, said Lt. Col. Azam Shah, commander of the Pakistan Rangers at the Wagah border. They 'would abuse [a Ranger] and say, 'you are a banana' or anything like that," Shah said. The calm returned, he said, after the two sides held a formal meeting on proper decorum. Commandant Vishal Singh, leader of border forces on the Indian side, denied any knowledge of the matter. Any challenges issued by India, he said, came down to feats of athleticism, not politics. 'It's always competitive when you lift your legs—who can lift much higher?" Singh added. Over the decades, the two countries have sunk millions of dollars—and a lot of sweat and torn ligaments—into turbocharging the razzle-dazzle with glossier production values, fancier venues and bigger crowds. The coveted title of tallest flagpole has bounced back-and-forth. In 2017, India installed a 360-foot pole, which was overshadowed just a few months later when Pakistan erected a 400-foot version. Six years later, India regained the top spot with a 418-foot pole. 'It is a golden day of my life," India's transportation minister told local media at the inauguration ceremony. Not to be outdone, Pakistan is constructing a new stadium modeled after a historic gate built during the Mughal era. The $11 million project, slated to wrap up next month, will triple seating capacity to 25,000, entertain tourists with a state-of-the-art museum and cocoon guests in comfy green rooms. The existing flagpole will be extended to 450 feet. The Wagah border, located between Amritsar, India, and Lahore, Pakistan, has been the main land crossing since Partition in 1947, when Britain ended its colonial rule and divided British India into India and Pakistan. The origins of the nightly ceremonies date to independence. Armed forces on both sides of what was once a single Punjab province, known for farming and for its burly inhabitants' martial prowess, carried out simple flag-lowering rituals at the village of Wagah, now split in two. In the 1970s, the two countries began to coordinate their drills in a spirit of friendship following the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Things quickly became competitive. Efforts have been made over the years to tone down the aggression. In 2010, the nations agreed that their guards would shake hands for longer, and would smile instead of scowl. But the guidelines have sometimes been ignored when the icy relationship turned hot. On a recent evening, while construction workers scurried around Pakistan's new stadium, a few hundred people sat in the stands chanting 'Hail Pakistan!" and 'Allah is great!" Their cheers were drowned out by thousands of spectators in India, shouting 'Long Live India" and singing along to Bollywood songs extolling the virtue of patriotism. Divya Gupta, a 51-year-old homemaker from New Delhi, insisted that a reunion trip with childhood friends included a stop at the border to pay respect to India's protectors. Guidelines require the soldiers to shake hands and to smile at one another. But aggression dominates most of the ritual: Soldiers pump their fists in the air, defiantly bulge their eyes and aggressively twirl their mustaches. 'Especially after everything India and Pakistan went through, our patriotism levels just goes higher," said Gupta, wiping tears from her eyes. Two female soldiers from each side—one in khaki uniforms, the other sporting black hijabs—started off the parades. Men followed, kicking their legs skyward and stomping their feet. At the border gates, which have remained closed since the conflict, Indian soldiers flexed their biceps toward Pakistani soldiers, who mirrored the gesture. A phalanx of soldiers later pumped their fists in the air, bulged their eyes defiantly and aggressively twirled their mustaches. Occasionally, one stopped to adjust a turban topped with a peacock-like plume. Both countries agree on the basic qualities necessary for a stellar performer: tall, athletic and preferably mustachioed. Big mustaches are encouraged and, for Pakistan Rangers, required. Shah, the commander of the Pakistan Rangers at the Wagah border, is 6-feet tall, and said his height is the minimum for a parade soldier. Male soldiers are also required to grow a mustache. As an incentive, they are allotted a special allowance to buy oils and ointments to maintain tiptop follicle health. A staff barber trims their hair for free. 'My men have some really thick mustaches," Shah said. 'It makes a person more dominating. It adds masculinity to any male." India strongly encourages facial hair but doesn't mandate it. Nor does it require all men to exceed 6 feet, though only a handful of soldiers fall below that threshold. 'The bigger the better," Singh said. 'It looks good." Write to Shan Li at
Economic Times
19-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Pakistan: Billions wasted on joggers, ice, socks as audit lifts financial irregularities in law enforcement purchases
A recent audit reveals financial irregularities within Pakistan's law enforcement. Agencies under the Interior Ministry misused billions of rupees. The audit highlights non-transparent tenders and advance payments for undelivered goods. Contracts were awarded to non-compliant firms. There were unauthorized contract extensions and excessive purchases. The report points to a disregard for procurement rules. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Islamabad: Billions of rupees have been spent by Pakistan's civil law enforcement agencies under the country's Interior Ministry during the 2023-24 fiscal year on items ranging from jogger shoes and warm trousers to advance payments for undelivered boats and excessive ice purchases--often without adhering to fundamental procurement rules, The News International reported on to The News International, an audit report has revealed a recurring pattern of irregular expenditures, favouritism toward certain suppliers, and serious breaches of financial regulations in such audit, which covers multiple departments including the Pakistan Rangers , Frontier Corps, and Pakistan Coast Guards, reveals gross misuse of public funds, with issues ranging from non-transparent tender processes and advance payments without delivery to repeated contract renewals and unjustified purchasing instance, Punjab Rangers awarded contracts worth PKR 43 million for woollen socks and half-sleeve vests to companies that failed to meet required standards, The News International reported. Despite this, the technical committee declared the bids "responsive" instead of rejecting auditors described this as "undue favour" and called for an investigation, recommending accountability measures, including for an Interior Ministry official a PKR 45 million contract for joggers was awarded to a company that violated procurement policies, prompting a recommendation for a fact-finding inquiry into how the non-compliant firm secured the contract, as reported by The News strikingly, the Pakistan Coast Guard paid PKR 560 million upfront to a private company for boats that were not delivered within the four-month deadline, which ended on July 23, 2024. This advance payment was unauthorised and contravened the tender to The News International, as of January 2025, the boats remained undelivered, leading to instructions to impose food supplies also came under scrutiny. The Inspector General of Frontier Corps of KP (North) spent PKR 7.8 billion on meat, milk, chicken, and cooking oil during 2023-24 without fresh contracts, merely extending previous agreements with rate increases, The News International reported. This practice violated procurement norms and lacked illegal contract extensions amounting to PKR 2.3 billion were found for vegetables, fruits, firewood, carriage, and animal irregularities continued with the FC South DI Khan office making PKR 297 million in advance payments for items such as joggers, vests, socks, and warm trousers--many of which were delayed in delivery. Auditors suspect payments were rushed to avoid budget expiry despite no goods being the IGFC (South) procured 20,847 pairs of joggers worth PKR 61 million through advance payments without meeting technical standards--a repeated offence from the previous year involving PKR 46 million, The News International reported. The audit emphasised that this repeated irregularity is deeply a surprising finding, IGFC South spent PKR 43 million on ice purchases, far exceeding actual needs and without justification. Similarly, Rangers Sindh awarded contracts worth PKR 73 million for uniforms without conducting laboratory tests on the materials, raising doubts about the quality and report also highlighted the unauthorised hiring of a private bank by Commandant, Chiltan Rifles, FC North, to disburse pay and allowances totalling PKR 1.8 billion, done without required approvals or a competitive process, The News International individual expenses on socks, ice, and vests may seem small, collectively, these irregularities represent billions of dollars in public funds, pointing to a troubling culture of impunity and disregard for procurement rules in law enforcement agencies.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Efforts on for safe return of Punjab farmer in Pak police custody, BSF tells family
Bathinda: Nearly four weeks after young Punjab farmer Amritpal Singh inadvertently crossed over into Pakistani territory from his field across the border fence, BSF has informed his family that efforts were being made for his safe return. The family received a letter Thursday from Punjab Frontier BSF headquarters that Pakistan police were investigating the case. Amritpal's family fears Pakistani authorities may suspect him of crossing over intentionally as a spy. In response to a letter from Amritpal's father, Jugraj Singh, to BSF headquarters on July 4, the border force has said Pakistan Rangers was being repeatedly approached for Amritpal's return. However, Pakistan Rangers has said he was in police custody and an "investigation" was in progress. Amritpal — a married man with an infant son — hails from Khere Ke Uttar village and has agricultural land in the jurisdiction of Rana Panjgrain, which is near the Zero Line. On June 21 afternoon, he signed the BSF register at the fence to cross over to his field but didn't sign out. Later, BSF personnel found footprints heading towards Pakistan and realised he had inadvertently crossed the border. On June 22, an FIR was registered and, five days later, BSF told his family Pakistan Rangers had confirmed he was in its custody. The family is desperate to get him back safely and has repeatedly approached BSF and other Indian authorities. Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya met BSF DG Daljit Singh Chawdhary on July 5 and urged him to reach out to Pakistan Rangers through Punjab-based officials of BSF by holding flag meetings. On July 11, Jugraj met Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria, accompanied by BJP's Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi. The governor immediately had a telephonic conversation with BSF officials. Jugraj said they were living in anxiety and had been reaching out to civil and BSF authorities for nearly four weeks but to no avail.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Time of India
Efforts on to bring back Punjab youth in custody of Pak cops; MP Sher Singh Ghubaya meets BSF DG, may approach MEA; SDM meets family
Bathinda: Two weeks after a young farmer crossed over to Pakistan from his fields at the zero line between the India and Pakistan border, efforts have been intensified to bring him back through diplomatic channels. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya met Border Security Force director general (DG) Daljit Singh Chawdhary on Saturday and urged him to reach out to Pakistan Rangers through Punjab-based officials of the BSF by holding flag meetings. Ghubaya also said he would reach out to the external affairs ministry to take up the matter at the highest levels in Pakistan. In Punjab, the state govt officials visited the family of missing youth (23) and assured them the matter would be taken up with chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who will be urged to take up the issue with the Union external affairs ministry. Amritpal, a resident of Khaire Ke Uttar village in Ferozepur, had gone to see his farmland located across the fencing at the India-Pakistan border on June 21. However, he did not return home, after which the BSF approached the family. The BSF held meetings with the Pakistan Rangers, after which, on June 27, the Pakistan Rangers confirmed that Amritpal was in the custody of the local police in Pakistan. Bathinda: Two weeks after a young farmer crossed over to Pakistan from his fields at the zero line between the India and Pakistan border, efforts have been intensified to bring him back through diplomatic channels. Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya met Border Security Force director general (DG) Daljit Singh Chawdhary on Saturday and urged him to reach out to Pakistan Rangers through Punjab-based officials of the BSF by holding flag meetings. Ghubaya also said he would reach out to the external affairs ministry to take up the matter at the highest levels in Pakistan. In Punjab, the state govt officials visited the family of missing youth Amritpal Singh (23) and assured them the matter would be taken up with chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who will be urged to take up the issue with the Union external affairs ministry. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Amritpal, a resident of Khaire Ke Uttar village in Ferozepur, had gone to see his farmland located across the fencing at the India-Pakistan border on June 21. However, he did not return home, after which the BSF approached the family. The BSF held meetings with the Pakistan Rangers, after which, on June 27, the Pakistan Rangers confirmed that Amritpal was in the custody of the local police in Pakistan.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Time of India
Punjab farmer missing since 9 days found in Pakistan custody
BATHINDA: A farmer who went missing nine days ago is now confirmed to be in Pakistan custody. Amritpal Singh , 23, is suspected to have crossed the Zero Line at India-Pakistan border near Rana Panjgrain village in Punjab's Ferozepur. Amritpal has agricultural land in the jurisdiction of Rana Panjgrain which is near the Zero Line. Farmers who have land beyond the border fence manned by BSF need to sign in and out every day. On June 21, Amritpal did so and went to till his land but he didn't sign out. BSF officers contacted the family to know if he had come back. When they learnt he was missing, they contacted Pakistan Rangers and wrote to Guru Harsahai police station on June 22 to register an FIR. His father Jugraj Singh told TOI that BSF authorities informed him on June 27 that Pakistan Rangers confirmed Amritpal crossed over to Pakistan and was in custody of Pak police. BSF authorities are holding meetings with their Pakistan counterparts and are hopeful of his return, he said.
