After Taliban attack, Pakistan and India go ahead with the lowering of the flags ceremony
New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Unexpectedly, Pakistan and India allowed the lowering of the flags to go ahead yesterday in Wagah border crossing not far from Lahore, the only point of passage by land between the two countries, a day after a deadly attack.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the bombing, which left more than 60 people dead and more than 200 injured, as did other militant groups - including Jundullah.
Following the incident, India and Pakistan decided to cancel the traditional ceremony, which attracts scores of people from both sides of the border.
Later however, Pakistan Rangers told India's Border Security Force (BSF) that it was ready to perform the ceremony, which went off at around 4 pm (local time).
The lowering of the flags, which started in 1959, occurs every day at sunset, attracting thousands of Indians and Pakistanis. It was interrupted only in 1971 during the war between West and East Pakistan.
At Monday's ceremony, Punjab army corps commander Lt-Gen Naveed Zaman said that they "proved that terrorists can't break the morale and zeal of the nation".
Meanwhile, security was beefed up and extended to a kilometre from the main entrance to the Parade Avenue with buses subjected to tighter security checks after crossing.
On Monday, Pakistani police also announced that it recovered a "huge" cache of weapons and explosives near the border.
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