DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PATNA, PUNE, VADODARA MARIACORINAMACHADO EXPLAINED PAGE10 BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY JAISHANKAR HOLDS TALKS WITH TALIBAN FOREIGN MINISTER MUTTAQI IndiaresetstieswithTaliban-ruledKabul, toupgrade‘technicalmission’toembassy Two Afghanistan flags, no women journalists — and the Bamiyan Buddhas Kabul to send diplomats; won't let Afghan soil be used to threaten others: Muttaqi SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 AS A first step towards normalising diplomatic ties with the Taliban since the group seized power in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US-led forces in 2021, India on Friday said it would upgrade its “technical mission” inKabultothestatusof an embassy. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the announce- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi. ANI ment during his first meeting withTaliban-ruledAfghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who arrived in New DelhionThursday—thefirstvisit by a Taliban foreign minister. Muttaqi, on his part, said Kabul CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NOBELPANEL PLACES POLITICSOVERPEACE: WHITEHOUSE PAGE 12 MINUTES BEFORE Taliban-led Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi walked into the Afghan embassy in Delhi, an angry young Afghan stomped out with a flagpole.“I will notlet them hoist the Taliban flag as long as I am around,” he said. “Let the Indian government officially recognise the Taliban government, then they can hoist the Taliban flag,” said the youth, GOVT & POLITICS AMID TRUMP TARIFF TENSION, NEW U.S. ENVOY SERGIO GOR BEGINS INDIA VISIT RAJASTHAN TO BRING NEW COOPERATIVE ACT PAGE 6 GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 10 PROMOTING “INDIGENOUS development” of digital and social media platforms was one of the key“action”pointsthatemerged from an interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government's top bureaucrats earlier this week, The Indian Express has learnt. UNION HOME Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that the increase in the country's Muslim population was not due to the fertility rate but large-scale infiltration. Shah made these remarks while delivering the 'Narendra Mohan Memorial Lecture' on 'Infiltration, Demographic Change, and Democracy' organ- Displaced Palestinians on their way to their homes in northern Gaza after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect on Friday. Reuters RELATEDREPORT,PAGE12 SP Group wants Tata Sons listed, underlines transparency, legacy GEORGE MATHEW MUMBAI, OCTOBER 10 THE SHAPOORJI Pallonji (SP) Group,whichisakeystakeholder in Tata Sons, has demanded the public listing of the Tata Group’s influential holding company — a move that comes amidst an ongoing dispute between two factions within Tata Trusts. In a statement Friday, the SP Group said listing Tata Sons was notmerelyafinancialreformbut a“moral”obligation.Itdescribed suchamoveasastepthatwould revivefounderJamsetjiTata’svision of transparency and restore faith among stakeholders, employees,investorsandthepublic. “The SP Group has consistentlyadvocatedthelistingofTata Sons,” it said in the statement. Cab Secy T V Somanathan wrote to top officials on October 9 Sources told this newspaper thatthedirectivewasamong“28 points” that resulted from the meeting held in Delhi on October 6 between the Prime Minister and Secretaries helming ministries and departments in the Central Government. Three days later, on October 9, Cabinet Secretary Dr T V SomanathanwrotetotheSecretaries,asking them to “initiate action” on thesepoints,itislearnt. According to sources, Somanathantoldthetopofficials to promote an “ecosystem” for the indigenous development of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 “The public listing of Tata Sonsisnotmerelyafinancialstep — it is a moral and social imperative. A transparent and publicly accountable Tata Sons would pavethewayforarobustandequitable dividend policy, thereby ensuringsustainedinflowstothe Trusts,” the SP Group said. “Our stance is guided by a simple yet profound CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EXPRESS NETWORK ‘THEIR GOVT’ VS ‘OUR GOVT’: SPARKS FLY IN TOP COURT OVER J&K STATEHOOD PANEL FOR GREEN NOD TO SAWALKOTE PROJECT PAGES 3, 5 ‘Stood for downtrodden’: Haryana IPS officer’s family, friends demand justice PAGE 1 ANCHOR NIKHILA HENRY & RAAKHI JAGGA HYDERABAD, LUDHIANA, OCTOBER 10 AT HIS Chandigarh house, next toagarlandedphotographof 52year-old Y Puran Kumar, a 2001batch IPS officer from the Haryanacadre,wasanotherportrait — that of Dr BR Ambedkar. This is how his family and NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 THEGOVERNMENTisworkingon anewpolicythatseekstocapthe numberandtenureofconsultants engagedbyministriesanddepartments, and also standardisetheir remuneration and approval process, The Indian Express has learnt. The Ministry of Finance is likely to steer the formulation of thepolicy,thoughotherministries mayalsoberopedin,government officials said. Theproposal,which was discussed recently among departments and ministries, is likely to limit the engagement of Young Relatives and friends pay tribute to IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, who allegedly died by suicide, at his residence in Chandigarh PROPOSED PAY CAP `70,000 for Young Professionals with over 5 yrs experience `1.2 lakh for those with 11–15 yrs experience. `1.8 lakh for those with 16–20 yrs experience `1.9 lakh for those with 21–25 yrs experience and PG or tech degree `50 cr or 2% of project cost for consultants hired through agencies Increase in Muslim population due to infiltration, says Shah GAZA TRUCE TAKES EFFECT After PM meet, message to Secys: Push homegrown social media platforms NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 10 SUKRITA BARUAH HARIKISHAN SHARMA CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MoF proposal: No more than 3 years in a department, total 5 years in govt EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Singer died during an outing in Singapore on Sept 19 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 who has worked at the Afghan embassy here for several years. Herequestedanonymity forfear of retribution back home. Amid the face-off with the visiting Taliban members, the Afghansstationed inDelhistood their ground, not allowing them to hoist the flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban call it Emirate, instead of Republic). This was the last pocket of resistance against the Taliban, who will now be allowedbytheIndiangovernment Govt plans uniform pay, cap on tenure and number for outside consultants CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 In Singapore, police probing Zubeen death as ‘coroner’s case’ A “CORONER’S CASE” into the deathofZubeenGargisbeingundertakeninSingapore,wherethe superstardiedduringayachtouting on September 19, The Indian Expresshaslearnt.Acoroner’sinquiry typically follows when a death is suspected to be caused by “unlawful act or omission”, where the cause is unknown, or where the circumstances surrounding it are suspicious. Garg, 52, was in the country as a cultural brand ambassador for the North East India Festival, Singapore, scheduled for September20-21.OnSeptember 19,hewentonayachtouting,reportedly with some members of theAssamAssociationSingapore, and lost consciousness while swimming. He was declared dead when he was taken to Singapore General Hospital, and the death certificate issued by Singapore authorities states that the cause `6.00 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 SHUBHAJIT ROY THE WORLD POSTAL REGN. NO. JAIPUR CITY/001/2024-26 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2025, JAIPUR, LATE CITY, 20 PAGES 2025NOBEL PEACE PRIZE ● friends wanted to bid farewell to Puran,whobelongedtotheMala community, a Scheduled Caste, “since his Dalit identity was the essence of his existence for the past many decades”. Puran was found dead with a gunshotwoundathisChandigarh residence on Tuesday. A batchmate who was present at his houseonFridaysaid,“Icannotbelieve that he is gone. What has happened is unfortunate.” When the news of Puran’s death broke, his wife, Amneet P Kumar, a 2001-batch IAS officer, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Jaipur Union Home Minister Amit Shah delivers the Narendra Mohan Memorial Lecture in New Delhi, Friday. PTI ised by Dainik Jagran. Referring to Pakistan, BangladeshandAfghanistan,the HomeMinistersaidthat“thedecline in the Hindu population in these countries was not due to conversion; many of them have sought refuge in India”. “On the other hand, the increasein theMuslim population in India is not due to the fertility rate but rather due to the largescale infiltration of Muslim individuals into the country,” an CONTINUED ON PAGE 2