Pakistani Man Arrested While Illegally Crossing Border In Gurdaspur

A 24-year-old Pakistani national was apprehended late last night by Punjab Police near the International Border in Gurdaspur while attempting to cross into Indian territory illegally. The intruder, identified as Husnain, was carrying a Pakistani National Identity Card and was found with Rs 40 in Pakistani currency. According to Punjab Police sources, the man is reportedly mentally ill and appeared to have wandered near the border before crossing over. Authorities have confirmed that no terror links have been found so far.

This incident comes at a time of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead-marking the deadliest assault since the Pulwama attack in 2019. In response, India has taken stringent steps, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, shutting down the Attari border in Punjab, revoking visas granted to Pakistani nationals, and ordering them to leave India or face a three-year imprisonment. Furthermore, India has closed its airspace to all Pakistan-registered aircraft, including military and leased aircraft operated by Pakistani airlines.

Meanwhile, two individuals in Punjab were arrested on Sunday for allegedly passing sensitive military information to Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The accused, Palak Sher Masih and Suraj Masih, were detained by Punjab Police for sharing data and photographs related to Army cantonments and air bases in Amritsar.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maninder Singh from Rural Amritsar confirmed that the suspects had been in contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives. He added that another accomplice, Harpreet, who initially connected them with the ISI, is currently lodged in Amritsar Jail under an NDPS case. He will be brought out on a production warrant for questioning.

In light of the ongoing conflict, border towns in Punjab are conducting blackout rehearsals. In Ferozepur, lights in the cantonment area were switched off between 9 and 9:30 pm. The Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) was directed to enforce the scheduled blackout. Local authorities stressed the importance of such exercises to assess readiness for potential wartime scenarios. Announcements regarding the blackout were made by a man using a battery rickshaw and loudspeaker to alert civilians in the area.