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 ■ ■ KOZHIKODE l wednesday l September 02, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Pak cricket in disarray Known for its unpredictable nature, Pakistan Cricket Board has made a series of changes after Test series loss to England. A look... Players dropped, coaches released A day after Pakistan lost Lord’s Test, PCB axed seven members of the squad, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha, and released coaches — Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul — off their duties. White-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke have been called to join the team ahead of third and final Test. Selectors served notice, Misbah resigns In the hours that followed, PCB also sent a notice to selectors including former captain Misbah-ul-Haq asking for a written explanation on inclusion of Imam-ul-Haq and Rizwan. Misbah has submitted his resignation since, though it remains to be seen if the letter is accepted by PCB. SC quashes all Confront terror FIRs against funding states, CJP protesters Modi tells SCO No relief for 2,873 persons with criminal history; CJP calls off Sept 5 Delhi march S U CHITRA K A LYA N M O HA N TY @ New Delhi IN a major relief to students who participated in the Cockroach Janta Party-led protests during July 20-25, the Supreme Court on Tuesday invoked its extraordinary powers to quash all FIRs registered against the protesters across the country prompting the outfit to , call off its September 5 march in Delhi. “Participating in a protest per se would not constitute an offence,” observed a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana while invoking Article 142 of the Constitution, which empowers the court to pass any orders to do complete justice. The bench, however, allowed the government to continue prosecution against 2,873 individuals with serious criminal antecedents who were present in the Jantar Mantar protest. For this purpose, the government proposed to register a single, fresh FIR against them. The bench directed that investigation be limited to offences of bodily Invocation of harm or destruction of property Article 142 is during the protests. subject to the Appearing for the Centre, Solicicondition that both tor General Tushar Mehta assured sides shall abide by the bench that the government will the understanding not pursue FIRs linked to the speciarrived at before this court fied protest incidents or file fresh FIRs for the same incidents. He said Supreme Court the government stands by its assurance on compensation to the families of students who ended their lives over the NEET paper leak and other academic issues. He sought three months time to complete the modalities for the same. CJP co-convener Saurav Das appeared before the bench and read out a statement on behalf of the group. “The CJP deems it appropriate to withdraw the call for the march on September 5 and looks forward to compliance with today’s order,” Das said, describing the order as a ‘historic decision’. The Centre had on Monday moved the SC seeking quashing of these FIRs registered over protests that took place across the country on July 2026. In the hearing on Tuesday Senior Advocates Vrinda , Grover and Hariharan, appearing for the protesters, sought transparency with regard to the FIRs and the list of about 2,873 persons identified by authorities. E x p r e s s Re a d Kappan gets 1-yr jail in cheque bounce case T’Puram: A Mumbai court on Tuesday sentenced UDF MLA Mani C Kappan to a year’s imprisonment in a cheque bounce case. The Borivali Magistrate Court also imposed a fine of D5.30 crore — to be paid with interest within a month — on the Pala MLA. P4 Vigilance’s ‘surprise check’ at Kerala Bank HQ T’Puram: The Vigilance and AntiCorruption Bureau conducted a surprise inspection at the Kerala Bank headquarters here on Tuesday, over the allegations of discrepancies in CCTV camera purchase tender proceedings. Brothel customers can be prosecuted, rules HC Kochi: The Kerala High Court has held that brothel customers can be prosecuted under provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. P5 J AYA N TH J AC O B @ New Delhi prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to confront countries that use terrorism as an “instrument of state policy” and reject “double standards” in the fight against terror financing and recruitment, in remarks seen as a direct reference to Pakistan, also the next chair of the grouping. Addressing the annual SCO summit in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other world leaders, Modi called for a united effort to “dismantle the entire ecosystem” supporting terrorism, including financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens. “Terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to humanity as a whole. In the fight against terrorism, we cannot remain confined to an action-reaction approach,” Modi said in the meet held in Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. President Vladimir Putin and Chinese “We must send a President Xi Jinping during SCO Summit | PTI strong messa g e to countries that use terrorism as an instruMessage to China ment of policy and proIn an apparent reference to China’s vide safe haven and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), support to terrorists Modi said such connectivity that terrorism can nevprojects must respect the er be a strategic asset sovereignty and territorial integrity for anyone,” he added. of all countries. India has been Though Modi did not critical of the BRI because a name Pakistan, his reportion of it passes through marks were widely Pakistan-occupied Kashmir seen as a criticism of Islamabad’s support for various militant groups targeting India. The prime minister also expressed concern over the continuing crisis in West Asia, saying conflicts in one region can have consequences far beyond their immediate borders. “In today’s interconnected world, the scope of security has become even broader. The crisis in West Asia has demonstrated that a conflict in one region does not remain confined to that region,” Modi said. “Its impact is felt across the world, affecting energy security, maritime trade, and supply chains. The countries of the Global South bear the greatest brunt of such disruptions,” he added. IUML defends Kanthapuram’s remarks as ‘scholarly expression’ E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kozhikode Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar, under fire over his remarks on women’s presence in public spaces, found an unlikely political backer on Tuesday The Indi. an Union Muslim League (IUML), normally a bitter political rival of the Kanthapuram faction, rallied behind the Sunni leader, putting it at odds with critics of his remarks, including Congress leaders and ministers. IUML state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thang al described Kanthapuram’s remarks as a “scholarly expression” and declined to directly criticise the cleric. Responding to questions from mediapersons, Thangal said he did not wish to elaborate on Kanthapuram’s statement. “It was a scholarly expression. Beyond that, I have nothing more to say. They are scholars and I am not going to comment on that,” he said. When asked whether such a position was appropriate in the present-day social context, Thangal suggested that Kanthapuram may have been expressing concern over the safety of women. “I believe what he intended to say was that women are being hunted in the present situation. He may have made the remark with that concern in mind. There should be some restraint in such matters,” he said. “Perhaps he was referring to the broader social situation and was expressing his opinion in that context. His intention may have been to speak for the safety and protection of women,” he said. Asked specifically about the argument that women should remain in purdah and avoid public spaces, he maintained that individuals could hold differing views on social questions.  ● More on P4 His intention may have been to speak for the safety and protection of women Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal Difference of opinion Several Muslim political organisations that have stood with the CPM through thick and thin are at odds with the party over its objections to Kanthapuram’s controversial remarks | P4 Battered houses in low-lying areas in Nuwakot in Nepal full of slush after the recent flash-flood in Nepal | S V Krishna Chaitanya | Report: P7