A photograph of an Indian Flag hoisted at the Attari-Wagah border has gone viral on social media platforms claiming that it is visible from Lahore, i.e. around 20 KM from the border. The image has been in circulation for years since the flag was installed in 2017. Harsha Kakar, Retired Major General shared the image on May 24, which has text claiming that it is India’s tallest flag on Wagah border and it is visible from Lahore’s market. He mentioned that it was received on WhatsApp.
Fazal Afghan from Afghanistan shared the image and wrote, “Pakis are so lucky they can see this beautiful flag from their city.”
In 2019 and 2020, it was shared by different Facebook pages.
The flag was supposed to be visible from Pakistan
With a budget of Rs 3.5 crore, the Punjab government in India had installed the tallest National Flag on the Attari border. Weighing 55 tons, the flag was 120 feet in length and 80 feet in breadth. Then-Punjab Minister Anil Joshi had inaugurated the flag in 2017. The aim was to install a tall flag in such a way that it was visible from Lahore.
Strong winds damaged the flag
The installation did not go as planned, and the flag was damaged multiple times within a month. Apparently, the authorities did not factor in the strong winds at the border region that repeatedly damaged the flag. As per the Flag Code of Conduct, it is a crime to hoist a damaged National Flag. Thus, a smaller size flag was hoisted in its place. The flag is indeed visible from the Pakistan side, but it is said to be not visible from Lahore.
The photograph makes it clear that it was taken from a place near the flag, and not from a place 20 km away. Due to the curvature of the earth, we generally can’t see beyond 5 km even on a completely flat surface. While the area between Lahore and the border is relatively flat, the Wagah border lies beyond the horizon for viewers from Lahore. Moreover, even if it is visible due to its height, the flag will appear as a tiny dot, not was what is seen in the photograph.
Retired Commander OP Singh while replying to Maj Gen Kakar said the flag is visible from up to 10 KM from Pakistan’s side on a clear day.
Another interesting point to note is that if people in Lahore can see the Indian flag at the Wagah border, they will also see a similar Pakistani flag also. Because, a few weeks after the Indian flag was installed, Pakistan also hoisted a tall flag on its side of the border. Both flags can be seen flying high at the border, located less than 500 meters from each other. But they are not visible from the nearest city Lahore.
Verdict: In 2017 then-Congress led Punjab government installed a tall Indian flag with an aim to make it visible from Lahore, but things did not pan out as planned. After the flag was damaged by winds, a new shorter flag was hoisted in its place. The flag is visible from the Pakistan side but not from Lahore.
