FRIDAY 11 APRIL 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR GOVT HANDLING RECIPROCAL TARIFFS ISSUE WISELY: GOYAL RAP ON KNUCKLES P6 SENSEX 73,847.15 q379.93 WEATHER Partly cloudy sky. Possibility of rain/thundershower likely in some areas. RAINFALL: 0.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 85% P10 NIFTY 22,399.15 q136.70 ` vs $ 86.04 AGRAJ PRATAP SINGH TEMPERATURE NEW DELHI, 10 APRIL T SUN SETS 17:55 hrs MOON SETS 03:45 hrs Full Moon on 13 April THUMBNAILS Jain community members participate in a religious procession on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, in Patna on Thursday. nANI India, Pak armies hold brigade-level flag meeting to discuss LoC management: The Indian and Pakistani militaries on Thursday held a brigade commander-level flag meeting in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir to discuss issues related to border management in view of a series of ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control. This is the second such meeting between the two sides in the past few days. The flag meeting was held at the Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing-point, led by brigadier-level officers from both sides, officials said. ahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/ 11 terror attacks, was brought to India from the United States of America on Thursday, 17 years after the Mumbai mayhem in which 166 people were killed. Rana departed from the US on a special flight on Wednesday, after his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition failed. The 64-yearold was brought back by a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Research and Analysis Wing. He is being produced later this evening before a special NIA judge at Delhi’s Patiala House Court where security has been stepped up. A statement issued by the NIA said it successfully secured the extradition of Rana after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 26/11 mayhem to justice. Rana was being held in judicial custody in the USA pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty for his extradition. The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay the move, while the US Supreme Court rejected his final plea recently. The District Court for the Central District of California had ordered his extradition on 16 May 2023, NEW DELHI, 10 APRIL A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, also comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Viswanathan is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Act, 2025, on 16 April. The petitioners challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, include the Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Mohammad Jawed, who was also a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee that had examined the Waqf Canadian-American businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana is accused of being a co-conspirator of the 26/11 (26 November 2008) Mumbai terror attacks that killed 165 people and wounded over 300 in 2008, along with Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley. Rana, who ran an immigration service business after retiring from the Pakistani Army and emigrating to Canada, had travelled to Mumbai days before the 26/11 terror attack and stayed at the Taj Hotel, one of the dozen places the Lashkar suicide squad attacked. In October 2009, Rana along with co-conspirator David Headley was arrested at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on multiple terrorism-related charges. In June 2011, he was acquitted by a US court on the count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai terrorist attacks, but found guilty on two other charges for which he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Due to failing health in the aftermath of the Covid-19 epidemic, he was ordered to be released from jail but was rearrested for extradition to India. The 64-year-old Tahawwur Rana's legal team fought a long legal battle in US courts to avoid extradition, citing poor health but his final appeal was rejected by the US Supreme Court on 7 April 2025. and then Rana had filed multiple litigations in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, all of which were rejected. He subsequently filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, two habeas petitions, and an emergency application before the US Supreme Court, which were also denied. The extradition proceedings were initiated between the two countries after India eventually secured a surrender warrant for the wanted terrorist from the US government. David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani) had pleaded guilty in the Mumbai terror attacks case and was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison in 2013. But his plea that he should not be extradited to India, Pakistan or Denmark was accepted by the US court. In January 2013, Rana was tried in absentia in a Delhi court and sentenced to 14 years in prison. An Indian request for Rana's extradition received former US president Joe Biden's backing under the 1997 US-India Extradition Treaty. In February 2025, after his bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US president Donald Trump promised that Rana was "going back to India to face justice". Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the devastating terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. Rana's successful extradition is being seen as an important diplomatic win for the country, but also a significant step towards pursuit of justice for the victims of (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on 3 April 2025, and the Rajya Sabha on 4 April 2025. The petitioners have challenged the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, on the grounds of its flying in the teeth of fun- damental rights guaranteed under Article 14 (Right to equality before law), Article 25 (freedom to practice religion), Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs), Article 29 (minority rights), Article 300A (right to property) of the Constitution of India, being discriminatory and providing for unwarranted interference of the government in Waqf affairs, were mentioned on Monday for an early listing. Meanwhile, the President of the Hindu Sena and a member of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha have approached the Supreme Court through an intervention application supporting the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, stating the amended law was in consonance with the scheme of Constitution of India. The intervention application seeking to participate in the hearing of the petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 – by Vishnu Gupta, the National President, Hindu Sena and Satish Kumar Aggarwal, a member of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha have stated that there is no violation of any right of any member of the Muslim community. 90-day tariff pause comes as a relief, pharma & seafood exports continue to face challenges STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 10 APRIL President Trump's declaration of a 90-day pause on most of thetariffshisadministrationhas imposed, excluding those on China,whichfacedanincreased tariff of 125 per cent, has come as a somewhat relief to markets and industry. Earlier, recent developments in the US trade policy under President Donald Trump had led to significant fluctuations in global markets, including those in India. The latest decision for tariff pause has been aimed at alleviating global economic tensions and was met with a positive response from international markets. Asian markets rebounded as investor sentiment improved. The abrupt changes in tariff policies have introduced volatility into the markets. "In my view, Indian markets could also witness some revival in the next few days, driven by positive expectations from this 90 day pause," said Pranay Aggarwal, Director & CEO, Stoxkart. Even though this pause has provided temporary relief, sectors directly impacted by the tariffs, such as pharmaceuticals and seafood exports, continue to face challenges. Investors are advised to closely monitor ongoing trade negotiations and sector-specific developments to navigate this period of global uncertainty, he said. The decision for a tariff Govt appoints Special Public Prosecutor in NIA case against Rana 26/11 conspirator the Mumbai terror attack. Pakistan on Thursday sought to distance itself from Rana, saying it's "very clear" that he is of Canadian nationality. At his weekly media briefing, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, responding to questions on Rana's extradition to India from the United States to face Indian law, said: "Tahawwur Rana has not renewed his Pakistani documents for over two decades. His Canadian nationality is very clear." pause has led to significant surges in global equity markets, with major indices in the USA, Europe, and Asia experiencing substantial gains. The Indian stock market, which was closed on 10 April due to Mahavir Jayanti, is anticipated to open strongly on Friday, 11 April. At the time of writing, the GIFT Nifty, an indicator of the Indian market's performance, showed a gain of nearly 743 points (around 3.3 per cent), suggesting a robust opening. This optimism is attributed to the easing of trade tensions following the US tariff pause, which is expected to positively impact investor sentiment in India, said Justin Khoo, Senior Market Analyst - APAC, VT Markets. Additionally, sectors that were previously under pressure due to tariff concerns may experience a rebound, contributing to the overall positive outlook for the Indian equity markets as they resume trading. If India succeeds in negotiating a better deal in the coming month, it could serve as a catalyst for Nifty’s recovery moving forward, hoped Khoo. EU halts countermeasures against US tariffs for 90 days AGENCIES BRUSSELS, 10 APRIL European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday stated that the EU will pause its countermeasures against the US tariffs for 90 days to give "negotiations a chance." She further warned that countermeasures will kick in if "negotiations are not satisfactory." Sharing a post on X, Ms von der Leyen wrote: "We took note of the announcement by President Trump. We want to give negotiations a chance. While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days." “If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in. Preparatory work on further countermeasures continues. As I have said before, all options remain on the table," the post added. Earlier, Ms von der Leyen welcomed US President Donald Trump's announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs for dozens of countries, calling it a necessary move to help stabilise the global economy. “I welcome President Trump's announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs. It's an important step towards stabilising the global economy," she posted on X. "Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function. Tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers. That's why I've consistently advocated for a zero-for-zero tariff agreement between the European Union and the United States," she added. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 10 APRIL The Union government has appointed a Special Public Prosecutor to conduct trials and related proceedings with regard to the National Investigation Agency's case against Tahawwur Hussain Rana and David Coleman Headley, both accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case. “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008), read with sub-section (8) of Section 18 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), the Central Government hereby appoints Narender Mann, Advocate, as Special Public Prosecutor for conducting trial and other matters related to NIA case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI on behalf of the National Investigation Agency before the NIA Special Courts at Delhi and Appellate Courts, for a period of 3 years from the date of publication of this notification or till the completion of trial of the said case, whichever is earlier,” a notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs, dated 9 April, said. According to the antiterror probe agency, Headley and Rana entered into a criminal conspiracy with the members of the LashkarE-Taiyyaba (LeT) and Harkatul Jihadi Islami (HUJI) ~ the Pakistan-based organisations declared by the Government of India as terrorist organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (as amended in Act 35/2008)—to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and at other places in India. Rana's extradition took place after he exhausted all legal remedies, and the US Supreme Court recently rejected his plea against extradition. The Indian government had been seeking his extradition for years, and it finally became possible after the US Supreme Court's recent decision. Rana's extradition is a significant step in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the ghastly terror attack in Mumbai in 2008, which claimed over 160 lives. Transforming military into a combat-ready force: Rajnath STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief and Lok Sabha member, Asaduddin Owais, the Aam Aadmi Party MLA in Delhi Assembly, Amanatullah Khan, the President of the Islamic cleric's body Jamiat Ulemai-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, Kerala Sunni scholars' body Samastha Kerala Jamiatul Ulama, Social Democratic Party of India, the NGO Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) and others. President Droupadi Murmu on 5 April had given her assent to the Waqf BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 62.38 Law catches up with CJI-led Bench to hear on 16 April pleas against Waqf Amendment Act PARMOD KUMAR P12 SILVER `97,000 GOLD `92,690 Key 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana brought to face justice Max: 34.2˚C (-1.0) Min: 26.1˚C (+0.9) SUN RISES 05:21 hrs MOON RISES 15:49 hrs P9 His extradition from the USA is seen as an important diplomatic win for the country Min. 48% GAIKWAD RULED OUT, DHONI TO LEAD CSK FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL HAS BEEN REPLACED AS ACTING HEAD OF ATF NEW DELHI, 10 APRIL Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday stated that the world is an age of 'Grey Zone' and hybrid warfare where cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and economic warfare have become tools that can achieve politico-military aims without a single shot being fired. Urging the officers of the Indian armed forces to operate jointly and remain future-ready in today’s everevolving multi-domain environment, Mr Singh dubbed cyber, space, and information warfare as potent as conven- tional operations. The defence minister was addressing the armed forces officers of India and friendly countries during the Convocation Ceremony of the 80th Staff Course of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, Tamil Nadu. Speaking about global geopolitics, Mr Singh said that in today’s age, it is being redefined by three key metrics ~ a major pivot towards prioritising national security, a technological tsunami sweeping the global landscape, and accelerating innovation. Highlighting that Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies are revolutionising deterrence and war-fighting in critical ways, Mr Singh termed the power of technological innovation in combat theatres as breathtaking. “In the Ukraine-Russia conflict, drones have virtually emerged as a new arm, if not a transformative science. The majority of losses of soldiers and equipment have been attributed neither to traditional artillery nor to armour but to drones. Similarly, space capacities in Low Earth Orbit are transforming military intelligence, persistent surveillance, positioning, targeting and communications, thus taking combat to a new high,” he said.