Border Security Force (BSF) constable Purnab Kumar Shaw, who unintentionally crossed into Pakistan on Wednesday, continued to remain in Pakistani custody for the fourth straight day. Despite India’s repeated diplomatic efforts, Pakistan has yet to respond to requests for his return.
A BSF officer familiar with the matter stated, “Since Wednesday afternoon, we have been looking for a positive move from Pakistan, but nothing has happened.”
Flag Meetings Yield No Breakthrough
A flag meeting held between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers on Friday ended without any resolution. This was the third such meeting initiated by the BSF since Shaw’s accidental crossing.
“Our teams assembled at the designated point with the flag raised as per established protocol, but initially, there was no response from Pakistan Rangers. Later in the afternoon, they came and questioned why the meeting was requested, despite the situation being self-evident,” said an official involved in the discussions.
“They informed us that they were still awaiting orders from their superiors. Once again, the discussions remained inconclusive,” the official added.
Constable Crossed Border While Assisting Farmers
Shaw, a native of West Bengal’s Hooghly district, accidentally entered Pakistani territory while assisting farmers near the zero line on Wednesday afternoon. An officer explained the confusion, noting, “The fencing exists only on the Indian side, while the actual international boundary is marked by a small pillar — often hard to identify for new personnel.”
India often returns civilians and even security personnel who accidentally cross the border without any hostile intent, the officer added.
Incident Amplifies Tensions Along Indo-Pak Border
The situation gained public attention on Thursday amid heightened security measures along the Indo-Pakistan border. It also coincided with India’s announcement of strong diplomatic actions against Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
