Border tension casts shadow on Pakistan delegation

Charu Chhibber

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 29

This evening, while television sets across the nation were incessantly flashing headlines regarding the heightened tension between India and Pakistan, families of a 20-member delegation from Pakistan that is in the city were making frantic phone calls to know the well-being of their wards.

The delegation was pulled out of all public appearances lined up for the day and was camping at People’s Convention Centre, Sector 36 — their place of stay in the city — since their return this afternoon from Gurukul Global Schoool, Mani majra, where they had an interaction with students.

The delegation is in the city to participate in the ongoing 11th edition of the annual Global Youth Peace Fest (GYPF).

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Pramod Sharma, coordinator of Yuvsatta, the NGO organising the event, said ever since the news regarding the tension between the two neighbouring countries was flashed, he had been flooded with calls from parents of the 20-member Pakistani delegation. 

“Everyone is worried about the safety of their wards, especially since 19 of the 20 members are girls. The parents are worried that if their wards venture out, their security would be at risk. So, as a security measure, we have cancelled their public meetings,” Sharma said. He said he had received directions not to allow any interaction with the Pakistan delegation.

Aliya Harir, a peace activist from Pakistan who is spearheading the friendship initiative, “Aaghaz-e-Dosti”, confirmed that the delegation had been at the convention centre since it returned from Gurukul Global School. “We are going to Shimla tomorrow as per the itinerary of the GYPF,” she said.

Sharma said he had called a meeting of the delegates and volunteers of Yuvsatta late this evening to share the details of the happenings of the day between India and Pakistan with them.

Security lapse?

Despite the ongoing tension between the two countries, the resultant panic among the families of the 20-member Pakistan delegation and directions to Yuvsatta members for restricting all interaction of the delegates with the media, the security around People’s Convention Centre, Sector 36, was not tightened. Apart from a PCR van outside, there were just a handful of security personnel on the premises. A team of Chandigarh Tribune managed to enter the centre and interact with the delegates for over 25 minutes without being questioned. The delegates were seen having their dinner in the dining hall of the centre and engaging in casual conversation.