Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 14: In a rare diplomatic gesture amid recent cross-border tensions, India and Pakistan exchanged personnel at the Attari-Wagah border on Wednesday. The move comes just days after both nations agreed to a ceasefire across all domains—land, air, and water—following heightened tensions due to terror-related incidents.
India released a Pakistani Rangers trooper who had been in its custody for nearly two weeks, after he was apprehended near the international border in Sriganganagar district, Rajasthan. This reciprocated Pakistan’s earlier action of handing over BSF jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw, who had inadvertently crossed the border on April 23 during operational duty in the Ferozepur sector.
According to officials, the handover of BSF jawan Shaw and the Pakistani trooper was conducted peacefully, adhering to established border protocols. A BSF spokesperson confirmed that regular flag meetings and continuous communication between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers were instrumental in facilitating the repatriation.
Shaw, a soldier from the 24th BSF Battalion, will now undergo a full medical check-up, counselling, and a formal debriefing session. He will also be subject to an internal inquiry by the BSF’s Punjab Frontier to determine the circumstances of his cross-border movement and to assess any procedural lapses.
Shaw’s detention occurred a day after the devastating Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 people and led to the launch of Operation Sindoor, India’s counterterrorism offensive. These developments had escalated tensions sharply between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
However, last Saturday, both countries agreed to a ceasefire, aiming to dial down hostilities and re-establish lines of communication.
The reciprocal release of personnel signals a tentative thaw in bilateral relations and a possible return to confidence-building measures. While structural issues remain unresolved, this exchange suggests a willingness by both sides to manage incidents pragmatically and avoid further escalation—at least for the time being.