The flooding at Wagah comes amid severe monsoon rains in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
A video from the Wagah-Attari border has gone viral after showing Pakistan’s side of the flag-lowering ceremony flooded, while the Indian side remained dry and clean. The clip shows Pakistani Rangers marching through ankle-deep water, with sandbags and bricks used to manage flooding. On the Indian side, only a small patch of water appeared near the gates.
The contrast quickly sparked online reactions. Many users recalled Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir’s “Mercedes vs Dump Truck” comment. One social media user wrote, “Clearly a Mercedes on one side and a dump truck on the other. Even nature is mocking Pakistan.” The hashtag #MercedesVsDumpTruck trended soon after.
Pakistani authorities blamed nearby engineering works and India’s elevation of the Grand Trunk (GT) Road for restricting natural water outflow. They claimed this caused flooding on their parade ground.
Indian officials disagreed. BSF Inspector General Atul Fulzele told Times of India that the video likely came from August 8–9, during heavy rainfall. “There has been no waterlogging at any of the three sites of the ceremonial flag-lowering ceremonies – Attari, Hussainiwala, and Sadqi – in recent days. The video appears to be from the period of heavy rainfall,” Fulzele said. He added that some low-lying border posts along the Ravi River had to be evacuated due to flooding.
The flooding at Wagah comes amid severe monsoon rains in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Authorities have evacuated over 150,000 residents from low-lying villages after India released excess dam water into the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of “medium to high” flooding in multiple river systems. Crops, homes, and infrastructure have suffered significant damage.
Analysts noted that India has improved drainage and rainwater management at border facilities, which prevented large-scale flooding despite heavy rain. On the Pakistani side, temporary drainage channels and raised roads could not stop waterlogging during the ceremony. A security analyst in Amritsar told ANI, “The difference is not just cosmetic, it shows the preparedness gap between the two countries.”
The Wagah-Attari border has always been a stage for rivalry and spectacle. This video has become another symbol of contrasting infrastructure and governance. A social media user joked, “Every evening at Wagah, we see the rivalry. This time, even the rain joined the show.”
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