INDIA: India and Pakistan mark India's 65th Independence Day together, with joint celebrations at the border crossings between the two countries
Record ID:
1374249
INDIA: India and Pakistan mark India's 65th Independence Day together, with joint celebrations at the border crossings between the two countries
- Title: INDIA: India and Pakistan mark India's 65th Independence Day together, with joint celebrations at the border crossings between the two countries
- Date: 16th August 2011
- Summary: AMRITSAR, PUNJAB, INDIA (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (AUGUST 15, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS AT THE WAGAH BORDER SCHOOLCHILDREN PERFORMING A DANCE AUDIENCE DANCE PERFORMANCE IN PROGRESS AUDIENCE GIRLS PERFORMING TRADITIONAL FOLK DANCE AUDIENCE POLICE PERSONNEL OPENING THE ENTRY GATES AT THE INDIA-PAKISTAN BORDER INDIAN AND PAKISTANI SECURITY PERSONNEL STANDING HIMMAT SINGH, INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF BORDER SECURITY FORCE (BSF), ARRIVING SINGH WALKING TOWARDS THE BORDER SINGH MEETING HIS PAKISTANI COUNTERPART, WHILE HOLDING A BOX OF SWEETS FOREIGNERS WATCHING THE CEREMONY INDIAN AND PAKISTANI SECURITY PERSONNEL MARCHING AS PART OF CEREMONY (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) KAMLESH SINGH, VISITOR FROM CHANDIGARH, SAYING: "We had come especially to view the celebrations here. We felt very good after coming here and the enthusiasm and the national spirit that we saw in the people. A very good cultural programme also was done here. We really enjoyed it a lot." NATIONAL FLAGS OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN INDIAN AND PAKISTANI SECURITY PERSONNEL PERFORMING 'BEATING RETREAT' CEREMONY CHAKAN-DA-BAGH, JAMMU AND KASHMIR (AUGUST 15, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) INDIAN AND PAKISTANI SECURITY PERSONNEL OPENING BORDER ENTRY GATES INDIAN AND PAKISTANI SECURITY PERSONNEL GREETING EACH OTHER PAKISTANI AND INDIAN PERSONNEL HOLDING A PACKET OF SWEETS (SOUNDBITE) (English) V P CRISTOPPER, COMMANDING OFFICER, 21 BIHAR BATTALION, SAYING: "First of all, it is a good gesture in which both are exchanging sweets on various occasions. India is a peace-loving country and we always want to make peace. One of the important things is especially for the neighbouring, I am talking about both the armies and with exchanging sweets we are showing that we are humble, we want co-operation and we want freedom from all the terrorist action." PAKISTANI AND INDIAN PERSONNEL HOLDING ANOTHER PACKET OF SWEETS A PACKET OF SWEETS OFFICERS POSING WITH THE PACKET OF SWEETS (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu/English) UMAR, COMMANDING OFFICER OF PAKISTAN ARMY, SAYING: "First of all, on behalf of the Pakistan army and Pakistan government, I congratulate all Indians on their Independence Day and many greetings from our side. And the exchange of sweets is a very good gesture from both sides. Yesterday, on our Independence Day, we received sweets from your end and we had a sweet exchange today on your Independence Day, we had a sweets exchange, I think this gesture should continue." OFFICIALS MEETING EACH OTHER ENTRY GATE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER BEING SHUT
- Embargoed: 30th August 2011 21:57
- Keywords:
- Location: India, India
- Country: India
- Topics: International Relations,History,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAA68KOIVBL88L1ITNRIBR6QEP1
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Indian and Pakistani border guards took part in a joint celebration on Monday (August 15) to mark India's 65th Independence Day.
At the Wagah border post in northern Punjab state, security personnel exchanged sweets, and a cultural programme was also organised as a part of the festivities.
People danced to patriotic songs and hundreds of visitors came to attend the event.
Kamlesh Singh, a visitor from Chandigarh, said he had enjoyed the occasion.
"We had come especially to view the celebrations here. We felt very good after coming here and the enthusiasm and the national spirit that we saw in the people. A very good cultural programme also was done here. We really enjoyed it a lot," he said.
Meanwhile, Indian and Pakistani border guards exchanged greetings and sweets at the 'Line of Control' (Chakan-Da-Bagh) in the Poonch district of India's northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.
V P Cristopper, commanding officer, 21 Bihar Battalion hailed the sweet-exchange as a step towards better bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.
"First of all, it is a good gesture in which both are exchanging sweets on various occasions. India is a peace-loving country and we always want to make peace. One of the important things is especially for the neighbouring, I am talking about both the armies and with exchanging sweets we are showing that we are humble, we want co-operation and we want freedom from all the terrorist action," he said.
The commanding officer of the Pakistani army, Umar, expressed a similar sentiment.
"First of all, on behalf of the Pakistan army and Pakistan government, I congratulate all Indians on their Independence Day and many greetings from our side. And the exchange of sweets is a very good gesture from both sides. Yesterday, on our Independence Day, we received sweets from your end and we had a sweet exchange today on your Independence Day, we had a sweets exchange, I think this gesture should continue," he said.
Despite Monday's events, the borders between India and Pakistan have always been tense.
India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain at midnight on August 14, 1947.
While Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day on August 14, India marks its Independence Day on August 15. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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