hyderabad l Monday l April 28, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Global Economic Uncertainty Hits New Highs Amid U.S. Tariff International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook warns economic uncertainty has surpassed levels seen during Covid-19 ‘an environment of fear and volatility’ world trade uncertainty index up The report attributes this uncertainty to the unpredictable nature of the US tariff policy under President Trump. Recent tariff hikes, including a significant increase to 145% on Chinese products, have created an environment of fear and volatility in financial markets, said the report released on Sunday in Barcelona ■ ■ IMF’s world trade uncertainty index is seven times higher than in October 2024, with global GDP growth forecasts revised downward to 2.8% for 2025 and 3% for 2026 Financial markets are experiencing instability similar to Covid19, with US bond prices falling as investors begin to sell them 1.2% is the The euro area’s growth forecast figure for 2026 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI heads-up: chief of defence staff meets rajnath singh NIA takes over probe, forces ready to strike m aya n k s i n g h & mu k e s h r a n j a n @ New Delhi IN the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives and the possibility of an Indian retaliation against Pakistan-backed terror groups, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday to brief him on key military decisions taken after the attack. The Indian Navy on Sunday conducted successful multiple anti-ship firings, showcasing its readiness for long-range precision strikes. “Indian Navy stands combat ready, credible, and futureready in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests anytime, anywhere, anyhow,” the Navy said in a statement. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have taken a hit, after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met on April 23 followed by India withdrawing its Defence, Navy and Air Ad, visors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, reducing the overall strength of the high commission to 30 from 55. The Indus Waters Treaty, functional since 1960, has been suspended, and the only operational land border crossing at Attari has been shut down. Diplomatic ties with Pakistan have been down- graded, prompting Pakistan to shut its airspace to Indian airliners and suspend all trade with India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the Pahalgam terror attack, intensifying efforts to collect evidence and identify perpetrators. NIA teams, overseen by an Inspector General of Police, a Deputy Inspector General of Police and a Superintendent of Police, are examining eyewitnesses, analyzing videos, and scrutinizing entry and exit points to piece together the sequence of events. Intelligence agencies have traced the attack’s digital footprints to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, suggesting a clear Pakistan hand, sources said. A local videographer, who was there to film reels for tourists in Baisaran, has now become one of the key witnesses for the NIA, as a senior official said, “The photographer in a bid to save his life climbed a tree, but he continued videographing the incidents that unfolded there.” Meanwhile, Sunday was the last day for Pakistanis having short-term visas in 12 categories to leave India. A long queue of vehicles was seen at the Attari-Wagah border crossing. As many as 537 Pakistani nationals left India since April 24 after the government revoked their visa, officials said. Navy conducts war drills in arabian sea China calls for restraint, backs impartial probe JAYANTH JACOB @ New Delhi Navy ships undertake multiple anti-ship firings in Arabian Sea to demonstrate readiness for long range strikes | PTI PM vows ‘harshest punishment’ for conspirators r a j e s h k um a r t h a k ur @ New Delhi prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that the families of the victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir will receive justice, and the perpetrators and conspirators will face the harshest response ever imagined. Addressing the nation through his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi expressed deep anguish over the attack that claimed the lives of at least 26 civilians, mostly tourists. “The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism,” Modi said, adding that the unity of the country and solidarity of its people is the biggest strength in the war against terrorism. He ac- A BSF personnel guides Pakistani nationals arriving at Wagah border to cross over to their country on Sunday | PTI cused the terrorists and their masterminds of trying to push Kashmir back into turmoil, by executing a major conspiracy . “This attack in Pahalgam shows the desperation of the patrons of terrorism; displays their cowardice.” He noted that the attack was a setback to the progress and peace that was returning to Kashmir, where construction work had gained unprecedented pace, democracy was getting stronger, and new opportunities were being created for the youth. The Prime Minister urged the nation to demonstrate strong willpower in the face of the ghastly terrorist attack on Tuesday and said, “We need , strong willpower ... Today the world is watching, after this terrorist attack, the whole country is speaking in one voice. The anger that the people of India feel is also being felt across the whole world.” K Ramakrishna Rao appointed state’s top bureaucrat E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Hyderabad BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao addresses a public meeting at Elkathurthy on Sunday KCR demands halt to anti-Maoist ops U M a h e s h @ Warangal In a sharp rebuke to the Union government’s anti-Maoist operations, BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday called for an immediate end to Operation Kagar and demanded that the Centre return to the path of dialogue. Addressing a public meeting at Elkathurthy to mark the silver jubilee of the pink party, KCR alleged that central forces were killing tribals and youth in the name of Operation Kagar in Chhattisgarh. “Killings cannot be construed as democracy,” he remarked. The former chief minister said the Maoists had already expressed willingness for dialogue and demanded that the government hold talks with the left-wing extremists. A resolution to this effect was adopted during the meeting. Additionally, the party has decided to write a formal letter to the Union government on this matter. Meanwhile, KCR pointed out that Operation Kagar is taking place in a village in Chhattisgarh along Telangana border.  continued on p4 Senior IAS officer K Ramakrishna Rao has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the state. Currently serving as Special Chief Secretary of the Finance and Planning department, Ramakrishna is a 1991 batch officer and the third seniormost IAS officer in Telangana. On Sunday, General Administration Department (GAD) Secretary M Raghunandan Rao issued orders to this effect. Ramakrishna will succeed the current Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, who is set to retire on April 30. He is likely to assume charge on May 1. In addition to his new role, he will continue to hold the post of Special Chief Secretary Finance, as full additional , charge. Ramakrishna holds the record for TG mulls law to ensure social security for domestic workers preparing 14 state Budgets. Associated with the Finance department since 2016, he played a key role in mobilising funds for various schemes during the 10-year BRS regime and under the present Cong ress government. An engineering graduate from IIT Kanpur, Ramakrishna also holds a master’s degree from IIT Delhi and an MBA in investments. He joined the civil services in 1991 and served as the collector of Adilabad and Guntur districts in the undivided Andhra Pradesh. He was also Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting from 2003 to 2016 during his central deputation before taking a six-year sabbatical to work with multilateral agencies. Ramakrishna is scheduled to retire in August later this year.  continued on p4 express read Ex-ENC sent to 14-day remand 11 dead in Vancouver fest Hyderabad: The ACB court on Sunday remanded Bhookya Hariram, former engineer-in-chief (ENC) of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), to 14 days in judicial custody. He was taken to Chanchalguda jail after being booked in a disproportionate assets case on Saturday | P4 Vancouver: A car driver killed 11 people as he ploughed through a crowd at a Filipino cultural celebration in Vancouver, Canada, police said on Sunday, ruling out terrorism as motive. Later, police said the suspect acted deliberately and had a history of mental health problems | P9 M a n da Rav i n d e r R e d dy Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, China on Sunday urged restraint by both sides. Beijing also backed Islamabad’s demand for an ‘impartial investigation’ into the Pahalgam terror attack, adding that it is ‘closely monitoring’ the situation. “Conflict is not in the fundamental interests of India and Pakistan, or conducive to regional peace and stability… Both countries should exercise restraint, meet each other halfway and promote the cooling of the situation,” Chinese state media quoted Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi as saying during a phone call with Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday . During the call, Dar briefed Wang on the latest developments and the latter offered support for Pakistan’s “legitimate security concerns and its efforts to uphold sovereignty and security interests”. Reaffirming Beijing’s support for Islamabad, Wang added, “China has always supported Pakistan in its resolute anti-terrorism actions.” The state government is considering bringing in a law to provide rights, social security and protection for domestic workers, including maidservants, nannies, caretakers and watchmen. Sources said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy recently instructed officials to examine the matter and prepare a draft bill. He also directed them to study similar policies and legislation implemented in other states. Officials pointed out that reports of torture and sexual assault against domestic workers, particularly women, have prompted the government to contemplate a dedicated law ensuring rights and statutory protection. According to officials, there are about five lakh domestic workers in Hyderabad alone. Their number may cross 10 lakh mark if figures from districts are included. While domestic workers in Telangana are currently cov- @ Hyderabad ered under the Minimum Wages Act, officials noted there is no specific law dedicated to their welfare and protection. They are studying the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, enacted by the Union government, as well as specific legislations passed in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala. Sources said the draft bill being prepared by the Law and Labour departments is likely to include provisions for penalising e m p l oye r s fo u n d guilty of harassment or sexual violence. It may also propose the establishment of a welfare board comprising domestic workers and officials. The bill is expected to address issues such as social security benefits, working hours, minimum wages, paid leave and compulsory registration of employers with the competent authority . Earlier, the Centre had introduced the Domestic Workers (Regulation of Work and Social Security) Bill, 2017, in Parliament, but it has not been enacted into law so far.