Punjab adds museum, history park to Wagah border site

WEB DESK: The provincial government of Punjab has inaugurated a major expansion of the public arena at the Wagah border crossing, a site that serves as the primary land route between Pakistan and India.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz formally opened the new facilities, which include a museum dedicated to Pakistan’s national history and a thematic park designed to reflect the era of the subcontinent’s 1947 partition. The arena’s spectator capacity has been significantly increased, rising from 7,500 to 25,000 seats.

The Wagah crossing, located near Lahore, is a globally recognised symbol of the complex and often strained relations between the two neighboring nations. It functions as a controlled passage for limited diplomatic exchanges, prisoner transfers, and traveler movement, all under stringent security protocols.

The location is most famous for its daily sunset flag-lowering ceremony, a highly choreographed display performed by the border security forces of both countries. This ritual has become a major tourist attraction, drawing large crowds to witness its blend of nationalistic spectacle and military precision.

According to state media, the new commemorative park features installations such as a model railway station and historical military equipment, alongside a memorial honoring fallen soldiers. The adjacent museum chronicles Pakistan’s historical narrative from the independence movement to the modern day.

The inauguration coincides with the historical context of the subcontinent’s division by British colonial authorities in August 1947, which established the separate states of India and Pakistan. The partition triggered one of history’s largest mass migrations and widespread communal violence, resulting in substantial loss of life and displacement. The unresolved status of the Kashmir region at the time of partition has since remained a persistent source of tension and conflict between the two countries.

Web Desk