After weeks of tension, India and Pakistan exchange Pakistani ranger, BSF jawan at Attari-Wagah border

NEW DELHI: Soon after Pakistan returned BSF jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw on Wednesday, India also released a Pakistani rangers trooper who had been in custody for nearly after two weeks.The exchange took place at the Attari-Wagah border near Amritsar.The Pakistani Ranger had been apprehended by BSF personnel near the international border in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district.BSF jawan Shaw had "inadvertently" crossed into Pakistani territory on April 23 around 11:50am while on operational duty in the Ferozepur sector, officials said. He was subsequently detained by the Pakistan Rangers.Following his return on Wednesday, officials informed PTI news agency that Shaw will undergo a complete medical examination, followed by counselling and a formal debriefing session where BSF officials will question him about his 21-day detention in Pakistan.Shaw, a member of the 24th BSF Battalion, will not be immediately assigned to active duty. He will also be part of an official inquiry initiated by the Punjab frontier of the BSF to investigate the circumstances of his detention and identify any procedural lapses.A BSF spokesperson confirmed that the handover at the Attari-Wagah border was carried out peacefully and in line with established protocols. He credited regular flag meetings and continued communication between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers for facilitating the jawan's repatriation.Shaw’s detention came just a day after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.This reciprocal gesture followed weeks of heightened tension between India and Pakistan, triggered by the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam and India's subsequent counterterror operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor.A ceasefire agreement was announced last Saturday, with both sides agreeing to halt all military actions across land, air, and water.