MHA goofs-up; uses Spain-Morocco border picture for India-Pakistan

In an apparent goof-up, the home ministry in its annual report used a picture of Spain-Morocco boundary as India's border with Pakistan, prompting the Union home secretary to say that the ministry would apologise if there is a mistake. The picture with the caption 'Floodlighting along the Border' was published recently in the home ministry's annual report for 2016-17, with detailed information on floodlighting along the Indo-Pak border.

However, it came to light today that the picture was of the Spain-Morocco border, located along the Plazas de soberanía, Ceuta, Melilla and Alborán Island along the north coast of Morocco. Between Morocco and Ceuta, there is a physical border known as the Ceuta border fence. Melilla also has a physical border known as the Melilla border fence, similar to the Indo-Pak border with floodlighting.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said the ministry will find out if the picture was not that of Indo-Pak border. "If there is a mistake, we will apologise," he said.
Sources said the home ministry officials were trying to find out from where the picture was sourced. It could be from the Border Security Force which guards major portions of the 3,323 km long boundary, they said.