A large number of people gather on both sides of the border to witness the daily ceremony. People sing and cheer when the national anthems of their countries are being played. The soldiers on both sides dress up in ceremonial attire and carry out their duty.

The bus service from Amritsar to Lahore was inaugurated on January 24th 2006. Divided Punjab was linked for the first time in January 2006, after partition in 1947. The total journey from Amritsar to Lahore is 60kilometers (37 miles) long. The Pakistan bus was named “Dosti” which means friendship, while the Indian bus was named “Punj Aab, named after five rivers.

According to media reports, well-known Pakistani folk singer Reshma, who was on the bus along with her troupe, said, "I had planned to come to India by air, but I got my ticket cancelled when I learnt this is the first time in the history of India and Pakistan that a Lahore-Amritsar bus service is being started from today(January 20th 2006)."

Punjab is said to have derived its name from the five rivers that flow through this region. The Indus, the Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi and the Ghaggar.