12042025-TTC-01.qxd 4/12/2025 12:35 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 100 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 PM: OPPN PARTIES ONLY PROMOTE FAMILY INTERESTS NATION /thetribunechd LEGACY OF LEGENDARY GEN ZORAWAR SINGH RECALLED J&K SUNNY SIDE UP, PUNCHES AND PUNCHLINES REVIEW IN SLOVAKIA, PREZ MURMU HIGHLIGHTS GROWING BILATERAL TIES BACK PAGE saturday | 12 april 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com China slaps 125% tariffs on US, asks EU to jointly resist bullying ‘Indians deserved 26/11,’ Rana told Headley; wanted ultras feted Says Trump’s 145% levy is a joke, will ignore any further move by America New Delhi, April 11 Extradited terrorist Tahawwur Rana wanted Pakistan to give its highest honour Nishan-eHaider, reserved for fallen soldiers, to the nine Lashkar terrorists who were killed during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. In an intercepted conversation with attack mastermind David Coleman Headley, Tahawwur was even heard saying “India deserved it”. “After the attacks, Tahawwur told Headley that the Indians deserved it,” the US Department of Justice revealed through a statement. Tahawwur (64), a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, was extradited to Delhi from the US on Thursday after a lengthy legal battle. He is currently in the NIA’s custody for 18 days. US Secretary of State Marco continued on page 6 Beijing, April 11 China on Friday upped its additional tariff on US goods to 125 per cent, retaliating to America’s 145 per cent levy even as President Xi Jinping urged the European Union to “jointly resist the unilateral bullying” by Washington. China, however, left the door open for talks between the world’s two top economies as the tariff war between them continued. China’s Foreign Ministry said any dialogue must be based on “equality and mutual respect”. Beijing also indicated that if the US hiked its tariffs further, “China will ignore it”. Country’s customs tariff commission said higher tariffs by the US would no longer make any sense and go down as a “joke” in the world’s economic history. Should the US persist in substantially undermining China’s interests, Beijing would take firm countermeasures and fight to the end, the commission added. US markets opened lower following Beijing’s announcement. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 100.2 points at the open, while the S&P 500 continued on page 6 NO WINNER IN TARIFF WAR: XI JINPING Without directly mentioning Trump or the US, Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: “There is no winner in a tariff war, and going against the world will only result in self-isolation.” GOLD JUMPS 6K TO HIT RECORD HIGH Gold prices surged by ~6,250 to hit a record high of ~96,450 per 10 grams in Delhi on Friday due to heavy demand from local jewellers and retailers. Analysts attributed it to strong safe-haven demand for gold amid escalating US-China trade tensions. INSIDE India, US work out roadmap for trade dialogue; EAM says ready for ‘urgency’ Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 11 India and the US have reportedly finalised terms of reference for talks over the first part of a bilateral trade agreement and it is possible that a “win-win” deal may take shape in the next 90 days. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on most tariff hikes for major trading partners, including India, while raising the levy on China. “We WILL PROTECT NATION’S INTERESTS: GOYAL Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said India was in talks with the US on the proposed bilateral trade pact and the government would safeguard the nation’s interests as it was never advisable to take any step in undue haste. are far ahead in trade talks with the US as compared to other countries ... there are lots of possibilities in 90 days,” said an Indian official quoted by news agency Reuters. The official was giving details of the progress made by India and the US in the talks. The discussions between the countries would continue virtually and regularly, the official said, adding that there could be some delegation-level visits from both sides as part of the dialogue. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said India was prepared for a high degree of “urgency” continued on page 6 Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service Suspected Pak ultra gunned down in J&K JAMMU: Two days after an encounter broke out in a highaltitude area of Kishtwar district, the security forces shot dead a terrorist, believed to be Pakistani, on Friday. At least one or two more terrorists who were part of the group are on the run and a hunt is on to track them. The gunfight occurred in the snowcovered and densely forested Chatroo region. INSIDE Security men stand guard at the NIA headquarters in New Delhi. PTI OPINION: THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE FROM PAKISTAN Had similar plans for other Indian cities, NIA tells court Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 11 A Delhi court has imposed stringent conditions during the custody of 26/11 Mumbai terror accused Tahawwur Rana as the NIA pressed on with its claim that Rana may have conspired Stringent conditions imposed for custody to orchestrate terror attacks in cities “beyond” Mumbai. Special Judge Chander Jit Singh of the Patiala House continued on page 6 IIM-Rohtak Director gets court ‘respite’ CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana HC on Friday said the tearing “emergency” to initiate proceedings against the IIM-Rohtak Director, Dr Dheeraj Sharma, was an attempt to “overreach the process of law”. The assertion came as the Bench ruled that the final outcome of inquiry would not be given effect to till the next date of hearing. INSIDE Sukhbirlonecontender,settobeSADchiefagain Jupinderjit Singh HAD QUIT POST IN 2024 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 11 The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is set to re-elect former party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal as its president during the organisational poll on Saturday unless he opts out. Sukhbir Singh Badal had resigned from the SAD president’s post on November 16, 2024, after being declared ‘tankhaiya’ by the Akal Takht Party insiders revealed that Sukhbir was both the “favourite” and “the only candidate” for the post. The elections, scheduled in Amritsar, follow the conclusion of a three-month-long membership drive. Sources say alongside Sukhbir, senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder is likely to be named the party’s patron. The post of secretary general, however, has multiple contenders. Among the frontrunners are Daljit Singh Cheema and Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal. The sources continued on page 6 Pb told to bear toll plazaclosureloss CHANDIGARH: Home Minister Amit Shah (C) with AIADMK general secretary EK Palaniswami (on his right), Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai (on his left) and others at a press conference in Chennai on Friday. PTI AIADMK regroups with BJP after 18 mths; to fight TN poll together Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 11 Tamil Nadu on Friday witnessed a realignment of forces with the AIADMK returning to the BJP-led NDA fold after 18 months and the two partners announcing a pact for the 2026 Assembly elections. “We have decided to fight the next Assembly elections together. Since 1998, the AIADMK has been part of the MLA Nainar set to replace Annamalai as state chief BJP-led alliance at different points of time,” Home Minister and BJP’s chief strategist Amit Shah said in Chennai today. Shah attacked the MK Stalin-led ruling DMK for “pursuing parochial politics”. He questioned the DMK for undermining Sanatan Dhar- ma and “fear-mongering around delimitation and three-language formula”. Flanked by AIADMK chief E Palaniswami and outgoing Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai, Shah said Palaniswamy will lead the alliance in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was glad the AIADMK had joined the NDA. “Together, we will take Tamil Nadu to new heights of continued on page 6 The inability of the Punjab Government to deal with the protesters shutting down toll plazas on national highways may cost it dear. A loss of Rs 1,638.85 crore was reported in Punjab from October 2020 to November 2024 due to the closure of the toll plazas. In a letter to Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, the Centre has asked the state to pay for the losses incurred due to the closure of toll plazas, mostly by farmer unions in the state. INSIDE Tribune News Service Rohtak, April 11 The rush at Rohtak’s premier PGIMS hospital has increased manifold as nearly 40 doctors from there have been deputed to Bhiwani’s Pt Neki Ram Sharma Government Medical College to inspect and install equipment ahead of its scheduled inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14. Sources said the Haryana Department of Medical Education and Research had shot off a communique to the PGIMS authorities on April 9, asking them to Staff deputed in view of PM Modi’s April 14 visit The PGIMS, Rohtak, caters to a heavy rush of patients. 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