Wagah ceremony to feature women soldiers
Indian women platoon commanders would conduct the drill and Pakistan Rangers would follow.
The ceremonial beating retreat held every evening at the Attari-Wagah border between Pakistan and India will soon be performed by women soldiers, Times of India reported on Tuesday.
India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers have agreed to have women platoon commanders take part in the daily flag-lowering ceremony, a tradition that has taken place between the two countries since 1959 and features a perfectly coordinated lowering of the two nations’ flags, preceded by a brazen parade performed by infantrymen of both countries. Initially, Indian women platoon commanders would conduct the drill and Pakistan Rangers would follow.
The female platoon commanders are expected to begin taking part in the ceremony only after they are trained to be perfectly synchronised with each other, the mirroring being an integral part of the entire performance.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2012.