BSF man’s repatriation from Pakistan stalled

Chandigarh: Heightened tension and near closure of diplomatic channels between India and Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack have virtually stalled the repatriation of BSF constable Purnam Kumar Shaw. The BSF soldier had inadvertently crossed the international border along with his service weapon on April 24 and was detained by Pakistan Rangers. Sources confirmed to TOI that Pakistan has stopped flag meetings on all the posts at the international border.
A senior official of BSF's Western Command, which guards the Indo-Pak border in Punjab, told TOI that had it been a normal situation, the BSF constable would have been repatriated on the same day or the next day.
"However, the current situation between both the countries, where all diplomatic channels are also almost closed, has delayed the BSF constable's return to India. Pakistan has stopped all flag meetings on all the posts at the international border. We are trying through the diplomatic channels, but they are also almost closed these days in view of the current situation," the BSF officer said on the condition of anonymity.
The BSF Punjab Frontier has the mandate to guard the 553-km Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab, including 518 km of land and 33 km riverine area. It is manned by several BSF battalions, one unit of BSF water wing, an artillery unit and other force multipliers. The BSF has been mandated to guard the international border, stop the infiltration of terrorists, smugglers and to check the inflow of narcotics into Punjab from across the border. In 2024, the elite border force had recovered around 294 drones and around 280 kg of heroin.
The wife of the BSF constable, who belongs to West Bengal, reached Punjab on Monday to pursue the case of her husband's return with the BSF Western Command. The BSF constable was part of BSF's 182 Battalion.