28042025-TT-01.qxd 4/27/2025 11:09 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 116 | 12 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH CANADA LIBERALS HOLD NARROW LEAD IN OPINION POLL WORLD /thetribunechd SALE OF ARMY FATIGUES PROHIBITED IN KISHTWAR J&K HEATWAVE TO SWEEP THROUGH NORTHWEST TILL MAY 1 NATION NEED TO FOCUS ON FARMERS’ PROSPERITY, SAYS V-P BACK PAGE monday | 28 april 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Entire nation seething with rage: PM vows retribution for attack Says enemies didn’t like peace in Valley, hatched terror conspiracy MASSACRE Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 27 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack would definitely get justice, asserting that terrorists and conspirators behind the killings of 26 civilians “will be served the harshest punishment”. “The blood of every Indian is boiling by looking at the pictures of the attack,” he said in his monthly “Mann Ki Baat” address. The PM noted that every citizen, regardless of region or language, shared the pain of the victims and was seething with anger. “The country’s unity and solidarity of its 140 crore citizens is its biggest strength in this war against terrorism. This unity is the basis of our decisive fight against terrorism,” he said, adding that the enemies of India could not tolerate the return of peace and progress in Kash- Bombhoax onflight, Canadian detained VARANASI: Panic broke out at the airport here after a foreign national aboard a Bengalurubound IndiGo flight claimed he was carrying a bomb, the police said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday night, the police said, adding that the passenger, a Canadian, had been detained. Following the bomb scare, the aircraft was moved to the isolation bay for a thorough inspection, but no explosive material was found, said Puneet Gupta, director of the airport. — PTI SC to take up plea on OTT content today NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will hear on Monday a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to take steps to prohibit streaming of sexually explicit content on OTT and social media platforms. The plea has sought laying down of norms to constitute a National Content Control Authority to prohibit explicit content on these platforms. According to the April 28 cause list, the plea is slated to come up before a Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih. — PTI BEIJING CALLS FOR DE-ESCALATION China on Sunday called for de-escalation between India and Pakistan following heightened tensions. Pak Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his counterpart Wang Yi in a telephonic conversation reiterated their resolve to uphold regional peace and stability, promote mutual respect and understanding, and oppose unilateralism. RUSSIA, CHINA CAN PROBE IF MODI LYING I think Russia or China or even West can set up a team to investigate whether India or Modi is lying or he is telling the truth. Let an international team find out. ❝ Khawaja Asif, PAK DEFENCE MINISTER EAM, DOVAL LIKELY TO SKIP BRICS MEET Amid escalating tensions, EAM S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval are likely to skip the BRICS meet slated for April 30 in Brazil. Jaishankar’s visit to Brazil for BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting on April 28-29 also appears uncertain. mir and therefore hatched a major terror conspiracy to destabilise the region. “Terrorists and their masters want Kashmir to be destroyed once again, and that is why such a big conspiracy was hatched,” the PM said. Modi said the attack happened because the enemies of the nation and Jammu and Kashmir did not like the resurgence of normalcy in the Valley. “There was vibrancy in schools and colleges, construction activities had gained unprecedented momentum, democracy was getting stronger, the number of tourists was witnessing a record increase, people’s income was rising and new opportunities were being created for the youth. The enemies of the nation, enemies of Jammu and Kashmir, did not like it,” he said. The Prime Minister said the assault reflected the “frustration and cowardice” of those who patronised terrorism. “Today, as I talk my heart out with you, there is deep agony in my heart. The Pahalgam attack has left every citizen heartbroken. Every Indian feels deep sympathy for the families of the victims,” he said. He urged citizens to display strong willpower and unity in the face of such challenges. He said, “We have to strengthen our resolve to face this challenge.” The PM also pointed out that the world community had stood with India after the attack, with global leaders sending messages of condolence and condemnation. “The entire world stands with 1.4 billion Indians in our fight against terrorism,” he added. Assuring justice for the victims, the PM vowed, “I once again assure the victim families that they will get justice. The perpetrators and conspirators of this attack will face the harshest response.” edit: pak duplicity Display maritime dominance amid mounting tensions Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 27 The Navy on Sunday said its warships undertook successful multiple anti-ship firings to revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long-range precision offensive strikes. The demonstration of the Navy’s combat prowess came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack. The Navy emphasised its combat readiness, asserting that it remains credible and future-ready in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests. Images and videos of multiple missile salvos at sea were also released by the Navy. The aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, is already deployed at sea. The Navy’s warships are equipped with two versions of the BrahMos missile capable of striking land targets. One version has a range of approximately 300 km, while the extended range variant can hit targets nearly 500 km away. The range of the BrahMos missile was enhanced after India joined the 34-nation Tribune News Service Attari, April 27 The Attari border on Sunday witnessed emotional scenes as families parted ways, their hearts heavy with uncertainty over how long the icy relations between Indian and Pakistan would last. Tears flowed freely as loved ones shared final embraces. On the fourth day, following the Union Government’s directive for Pakistani nationals to return home and Indians to come back, 237 Pakistanis crossed over to their homeland, while 116 Indians returned via the Ultras barge into Kupwara house, gun down civilian Our Correspondent Srinagar, April 27 A civilian was gunned down by unidentified gunmen in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said on Sunday. The gunmen, believed to be two, barged into the house of Ghulam Rasool Magray in the Kandi Khas area late Saturday night and opened fire, leaving him critically injured. A senior official said Magray, in his 40s, was shifted to a Handwara hospital, from where he was referred to Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Magray is survived by his mother and two brothers. One of his brothers is based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Soon after the attack, security forces conduct a search operation. The Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched an investigation. Handwara MLA Sajad Lone demanded a through probe into the civilian’s killing. Langate MLA Shiekh Khursheed, in a post on X, said “Tragedy struck the family of Ghulam Rasool Magray, who was shot dead by terrorists, leaving behind his mother, Hajrah Begum, with no one left to wipe her tears.” “A heartbreaking silence now fills their shattered home,” he added. Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in June 2016. Prior to India’s membership, the Russian technology behind the BrahMos was restricted, as the MTCR limits the export of missile technology capable of travelling beyond 300 km. The MTCR, continued on page 8 Lensman who survived Pahalgam attack by climbing tree may help NIA unmask killers MEA official holds meet with Afghan minister in Kabul Pak violates truce for 3rd consecutive day Ubeer Naqushbandi Adil Akhzer Video of incident key evidence |Agency formally takes charge of investigation Tribune News Service Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 27 The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today formally took charge of the Pahalgam terror attack probe and has already uncovered vital leads that could piece together the chilling sequence behind one of Kashmir’s deadliest massacres. Sources said a local photographer, who narrowly survived the carnage by climbing a tree, managed to record a video that is now proving critical in helping the agency identify the attackers. NIA teams had been assisting the local police at the site since Wednesday, but after a formal order from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division, the agency registered a case late Saturday in Jammu and escalated its evidence-gathering efforts. Multiple teams of the NIA hit the Baisaran valley along 3 MORE ULTRAS’ HOUSES RAZED, PARTIES ASK GOVT TO EXERCISE CAUTION ■ In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, three more houses belonging to militants were demolished in the Kashmir valley on Saturday night. Over past few days, houses of nine ultras have been razed reportedly using explosives. with forensic teams and thoroughly scanned the area where 26 people were shot dead by an “unknown num- ■ The houses belonged to Adnan Safi Dar of Shopian, Amir Nazir of Pulwama, and Jameel Ahmed Sheer Gojri of Bandipora. Political parties have urged the government to ‘carefully distinguish between ultras & civilians’. INSIDE ber” of terrorists on April 22. Recovered bullet shells confirmed that AK-47 rifles and M-4 carbines were used in the massacre. Investigators suspect the attackers split into two groups and continued on page 8 Emotional crossings at Attari as return deadline ends Neeraj Bagga An Indian Navy warship during an anti-ship firing exercise. PTI PTI PAHALGAM Navy ships test readiness for long-range precision strikes 537 PAK NATIONALS GO BACK HOME VIA BORDER IN 4 DAYS IRANIAN WOMAN STUCK Pakistan nationals head to the Attari border in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR Attari land route. Indian citizen Priya Kanwer broke down as her daughter Sarita and son-inlaw, both Pakistani nationals, left for their home. Married to Iranian solo traveller Elham Destani, who came to India on a 90-day tourist visa on February 10, was stranded at Attari due to her nationality. She waited anxiously for her turn to cross, but wasn’t allowed. a Pakistani in 1991, Priya was denied permission to accompany them, while her hus- band and children, holding Pakistani citizenship, were allowed to cross. The pain of separation was palpable as anxiety gripped families unsure of when they would reunite. Children sobbed as they were separated from their mothers, their cheeks wet with tears. Many families from Rajasthan had travelled to Attari to bid farewell to relatives visiting from Pakistan. “Only the reopening of the border can reunite our families,” lamented Gurbaksh Singh, a Pakistani national from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who regretted the sudden continued on page 8 c m y b New Delhi, April 27 A top-level Indian delegation held a meeting with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday in Kabul. This came as Afghanistan is likely to restart its stalled projects and also resume issuance of visas to Afghans. The Indian delegation led by Joint Secretary Anand Prakash, who is head of the Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran division in the Ministry of External Affairs, held a meeting with Muttaqi and his team. India has recently continued on page 8 Srinagar, April 27 The Pakistan army for the third consecutive day resorted to “small arms” fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir, Army officials said on Sunday. According to the officials, Pakistan army posts initiated “unprovoked small arms fire” across the LoC in areas opposite Tutmari Gali and Rampur sectors on the night of April 26. Both areas fall in Baramulla and Kupwara districts. “Our troops responded effectively with appropriate small arms fire,” the Army said. The fresh ceasefire viola- tion by Pakistan comes amid heightened tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 25 tourists and a local dead. In the wake of the attack and subsequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited the Valley on Friday. The rising tensions have triggered panic among residents of border towns. Locals at some places say they have cleaned up community bunkers as a precautionary measure, fearing the situation may escalate further. Since the ceasefire pact in 2021, border towns had witnessed a period of relative calm. Soon, clearly demarcated plots in Haryana to be just a click away 440 more villages in next phase of digitisation project Pradeep Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 27 Digitally recorded and clearly demarcated plots across Haryana are set to be just a click away — a significant development that will go a long way in reducing citizens’ dependency on revenue officials and middlemen. With the Nayab Singh Saini government putting the Haryana Large Scale Mapping Project (HaLSMP), an initiative to bring technological advancement to land record management, on the fast track, the land digitisation process is set to be completed by the 2025-26 fiscal, sources said. Recently, the Haryana Government had selected 22 pilot villages, one from each district, for the digitisation of revenue maps. “On the directions of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, 440 more vil- WILL LEAD TO FEWER DISPUTES ■ 22 villages already cov- ered under the pilot project for land digitisation; 440 more selected ■ In all, 44,212 sq km geographical area in Haryana set to be covered by 2025-26 ■ As many as 300 rovers pressed into service for the demarcation of land ■ Will simplify property transactions and lead to fewer disputes, smoother land registrations and faster mutations lages (20 villages in each district) have now been identified for the next phase of the digitisation project. The aim is to complete the project by integrating the data on to the Bhu-Naksha portal by 202526,” Sumita Misra, Financial Commissioner, Revenue (FCR), told The Tribune. “When completed, the proj- ect will ensure that each plot of land in Haryana is clearly demarcated, digitally recorded and accessible through a centralised online system, enabling citizens to view and verify their land boundaries online from the comforts of their homes. It will simplify the process of identifying correct plots during property transactions, leading to fewer disputes, smoother land registrations and faster mutations,” she contended. Traditionally, land demarcation has been a manual process, which primarily relies on traditional tools like chains, tapes and revenue maps, popularly known as “tatimas”. Conducted by revenue officials — patwaris and kanungos — using field measurements and physical landmarks to define boundaries, it often leads to inaccuracies, overlapping claims continued on page 8