Amritsar locals support border closure despite travel disruptions

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], April 24 (ANI): Locals in Amritsar have lauded the decision of the Indian government to shut the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP), among other diplomatic measures in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. They also condemned the April 22 attack and supported the Government's decision even though some of them have had to delay or cancel their plans. A tourist from Rajasthan, Surinder Singh told ANI that they had come to Amritsar with the hopes of crossing through the border to attend a family wedding in Pakistan, but now the plans have been postponed. "I was going to Pakistan today for my brother's wedding, but it will be postponed now. My grandmother and her four sons stay in Pakistan, and her one son stays in India. The attack on tourists (in Pahalgam) was very wrong," he said.

Shaitan Singh, a relative of Surinder expressed uncertainty about his plans. "What the terrorists have done is wrong...We are not being allowed to go (to Pakistan) as the border is closed...Let us see what will happen now," he told ANI. The Central government has also suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption scheme, giving Pakistani nationals 48 hours to return to their country. A Pakistani national, Mohammed Jammeel also condemened the attack, saying that "whoever's blood is shed is wrong."

"Khoon kisi ka bhi bahe woh galat hai (Whoever's blood is being shed is wrong) even if it is mine, or someone else's, everyone's hearts beat the same," Jameel told ANI. At the same time, businessmen in Amritsar said that while their business will be affected, they stand with PM Modi regarding the decision/ A businessman from Attari said, "The closure of the Attari border will definitely affect the business here... but the incident that has happened is also very wrong."