Friday, April 25, 2025 | 29 Pages | `5 & for State (+4 pages) `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 173 | Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) NATION 2008 Mumbai attack: Delhi court junks Tahawwur Rana plea to talk to kin Briefs MLA arrested for sedition The Nagaon unit of Assam Police arrested AIUDF Dhing legislator Aminul Islam on Thursday for allegedly making controversial remarks about the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. He had suggested the attack and similar incidents in Kashmir were part of a government conspiracy, sparking controversy. While being escorted to the police station, Islam remarked, “No one can stop me from telling the truth.” He was previously arrested for spreading communal remarks and misinformation about Covid-19 through an audio clip. Foreign secy briefs envoys Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday briefed envoys of the US, the UK, France, China, Russia, Germany and several other countries on the Pahalgam terror attack and its link to cross-border terrorism, people familiar with the matter said. He is said to have apprised the diplomats about various aspects of the attack stressed on India's firm policy of "zero tolerance" against terrorism, they said. Diplomats of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Norway, Italy, Indonesia and Malaysia were part of the briefing. No release for Abir Gulal The release of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan’s muchanticipated Hindi film Abir Gulal has been barred in India following the attack in Pahalgam, government sources said on Thursday. Abir Gulal was scheduled for release on May 9 and also stars Indian actress Vaani Kapoor.The decision comes in the wake of rising public outrage and boycott calls against the film, which was slated to mark Fawad Khan’s return to Bollywood after nearly nine years. GAMES Edit Is the Thackeray reunion a bid to secure family legacy? TIT FOR TAT | Islamabad says any attempt to divert flow of water as per Indus water treaty will be met with “full force across the complete spectrum of National Power.” COUNTERSTRIKE FPJ News Service MUMBAI A day after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and downgraded diplomatic ties following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Pakistan retaliated with sweeping countermeasures. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Thursday. The meeting, attended by top civil and military leaders, issued a hardline response, rejecting Indian allegations of cross-border terrorism as “baseless and politically motivated.” Sharif’s office issued a statement describing India's move to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance as a potential “act of war.” Stressing that water from the Indus system is Pakistan’s lifeline, the NSC warned that any attempt to stop or divert it would be viewed as a violation of international law—and would invite a firm response. The committee announced the suspension of all bilateral agreements with India, including the Shimla Agreement. It accused India of habitual noncompliance with international commitments and UN resolutions, though the statement did not specify which agreements were being suspended. RETALIATORY MEASURES 4Contd on | nation ■ Pakistan to move World Bank and other international bodies ■ Pakistani airspace closed to Indian airlines ■ Wagah border crossing shut ■ Shimla Agreement and other bilateral treaties suspended ■ Trade with India halted, including via third countries ■ SAARC visas cancelled for Indians (except Sikh pilgrims) ■ Indian citizens ordered to leave within 48 hours ■ Indus Treaty suspension termed an “act of war” AIR INDIA, INDIGO FLIGHT DISRUPTION: Pakistan’s airspace shutdown on Thursday disrupted international operations of Air India and IndiGo. Air India said flights to North America, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East are being rerouted, causing delays. IndiGo also reported disruptions. India suspends all visa services to Pakistan FPJ News Service NEW DELHI The Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday that in continuation of the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government was suspending all visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. Further it said that all existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April 2025. Medical visas already issued to Pakistani nationals would remain valid only till 29 April 2025. The Ministry of External Affairs said all Pakistani nationals currently in India must leave India before the expiry of visas, as per the amended date. The Ministry has also “strongly advised Indian nationals to avoid travelling to Pakistan. It said that “Those Indian nationals currently in Pakistan are also advised to return to India at the earliest.” It is not clear how many visas India has been issuing to Pakistanis and under what category. ‘Killers will be pursued to the ends of the earth’ PTI MADHUBANI (BIHAR) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declared that the killers of Pahalgam will be pursued "to the ends of the earth" and promised to "identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers". In his first speech after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed, the prime minister vowed to punish terrorists behind the strike and said India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Modi, breaking briefly into English said, "Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished." In the stern message, he said, "Every effort will be made to A rush to return before Attari closes ensure that justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank the people of various countries and their leaders who have stood with us in these times." In a message to Pakistan without naming the country, Modi said he will state it categorically that the terrorists who carried out the attack and those who hatched the conspiracy, Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world, India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished. 4Contd on | nation IAF, Navy flex muscles FPJ News Service Kashmiri students face backlash Youth are harassed, threatened with eviction after Pahalgam massacre Umar Khurshid and M Saleem Pandit MUMBAI / SRINAGAR The terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives has cast a long and dark shadow over Kashmiri students studying outside Jammu and Kashmir. Reports are emerging of harassment, violence, and threats in several northern states, triggering panic among students and their families. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), at least eight incidents of targeted hostility have been reported since the attack. In Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, the hostel rooms of Kashmiri students at Arni University were allegedly stormed by a mob branding them as “terrorists.” Doors were broken, and students were left traumatized. In Dehradun, Uttarakhand, the situation turned grim after a Hindu Raksha Dal video surfaced, warning Kashmiri Muslims to leave the state by 10 am Thursday or face death. Many students fled their accommodations overnight in terror. Similar scenes unfolded in Punjab's Derabassi, where intruders reportedly broke into a hostel post-midnight, tore clothes, and injured a student with a sharp weapon. In Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, landlords have told Kashmiri tenants to vacate immediately. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | city Pahalgam response: Much ado about nothing? Ashwin Ahmad MUMBAI NEW DELHI BSF jawan held by Pak The family of a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Thursday is anxiously awaiting for his safe return after he was detained by Pakistan Rangers for accidentally crossing the international border in Punjab. P K Sahu, 40, posted with the 182nd Battalion of the BSF at the Ferozepur border in Punjab, was taken into custody by Pakistan Rangers on Wednesday. He was in uniform and carrying his service rifle when the incident occurred. Cinema Ridhi Dogra replies to troll for Fawad connection Boult backs Rohit to play a pivotal role in MI’s pursuit for a record-extending sixth IPL title PTI CHANDIGARH The Attari-Wagah border post in Amritsar saw a rush of Pakistanis lining up for a hurried exit on Thursday. "We came here (India) on April 15 and today we are returning home though we had a visa for 45 days," said Shaikh Fazal Ahmad. Ahmad and his family from Karachi had travelled to Delhi to meet their relatives and were rushing back, a day after the Centre set a 48-hour deadline for Pakistanis to leave India fol- lowing the Pahalgam terror attack. They were among several Pakistanis on their way back after the Centre announced that the integrated check-post (ICP) at Attari would be closed with immediate effect and those with valid documents could return through that route before May 1. Another Pakistani national, Mansoor, said he along with his family had come on a 90day visa on April 15. 4Contd on | nation The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched Exercise Aakraman (Attack) across a vast stretch of the central sector, mobilising its premier fighter aircraft, including French-built Rafale jets, in a show of aerial strength. This comes against the backdrop of rising tensions with Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Defence sources confirmed that Rafale squadrons based in Ambala and Hashimara are spearheading the exercise. “The cutting-edge jets are executing complex missions, including simulated ground assaults and electronic warfare drills,” they said. Combat aircraft have been deployed from airbases across the country, including from India’s eastern flank, indicating a posture of full-spectrum readiness. Mistakes were made: Govt Home ministry and Intelligence Bureau officials briefed the all-party meeting about how the terrorists struck at Pahalgam and where the mistakes were made, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said. The officials also outlined how they intended to prevent such attacks in the future. 4All-party meet report on | nation The drills aim to prepare the Air Force for ground attack operations across diverse terrains—from flat plains to rugged mountain zones. The induction of advanced weapons such as Meteor air-to- air missiles and high-speed, low-drag munitions like Rampage and Rocks has significantly enhanced precision strike capabilities. 4Contd on | nation Pakistan’s strong response to any possible action by India on the Indus Water Treaty shows how deeply sensitive the matter is for Islamabad. A former Indian envoy to Pakistan stated that New Delhi’s actions should be seen as a “psychological ratcheting up of pressure” against Pakistan. “ The treaty has been in limbo for some time and India has asked for its revision several times. What impact could it have on the ground remains to be seen,” he said. The other point to note here was that India would not be able to fully end the treaty even if it wanted to.  Former Indian envoy to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria told The Free Press Journal that it needed to be noted that the treaty remains We cannot increase the storage at present immediately as we haven’t built the dams that can store more. So operationally in the short term, little will change but if we build dams and canals then, yes, it will make an impact. in abeyance (suspension) which was not the same as a formal abrogation or annulment of the treaty. 4Contd on | nation Govt gets cracking on illegal bldgs diktat India heads race to strike trade deal with United States TRUMP SLAMS BOTH PUTIN & ZELENSKYY Ravikiran Deshmukh NEW YORK SC STIPULATIONS MUMBAI More than four months after the Supreme Court (SC) stipulated the measures to control the menace of illegal constructions and procedures for its demolitions, the Mahayuti government has directed district collectors to scrupulously follow the procedures suggested by the Apex Court with regard to the planning authorities under them – i e the civic and local bodies. The state government has warned officers of stringent action if they fail to follow the Supreme Court's directions. The state government order, issued on Wednesday, is significant in view of the embarrassment faced by the civic chiefs of Malvan Municipal Council and Nagpur Munici- pal Corporation before the SC and the Bombay High Court recently over the demolitions carried out against the ‘illegal constructions’. The state order refers to two judgments delivered by the Apex Court – one in a writ petition (No. 295/2022) on November 11 last year and a civil appeal (No. 14604/2024 and 14605/2024). While the former deals with the measures to control the construction of illegal structures, the latter deals with the demolition of illegal constructions. 4Contd on | nation Agencies WASHINGTON US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said he expects India to strike the first bilateral trade deal to avoid President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs, according to the New York Post. A 26 per cent 'reciprocal' tariff on Indian exports to the US is currently on a 90-day pause, set to expire on July 8. However, like other countries, India is presently subject to a 10 per cent tariff under the exist- ing policy. According to the New York Post, Bessent told a roundtable of about a dozen reporters on Wednesday that trade talks with India are "very close" to reaching a successful conclusion because the world's most populous nation doesn't have "so many high tariffs." "India also has fewer non-tariff trade barriers, obviously, no currency manipulation, very, very little government subsidies, so that reaching a deal with the Indians is much easier," Bessent said at the DC event on the sidelines of the annual World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings. 4Contd on | nation Agencies US President Donald Trump criticised both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russia attacked Kyiv with an hours-long barrage of missiles and drones, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 70. The attack prompted a rare rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin from Trump, who said he was "not happy" with it. 4Contd on | nation