17062026-TTC-01.qxd 6/17/2026 ‘2-HOUR’ NOTICE: ABHISHEK FAILS TO MEET BIRLA NATION /thetribunechd 12:33 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 10 NO. 166 | 18 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 ISRAEL’S EXIT FROM LEBANON KEY TO DEAL: IRAN WORLD wednesday | 17 june 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Trump listening, PM calls 4 NCR ‘Namo Cities’ to decongest Delhi on G7 to keep sailorssafe Not me in video, religion being used for political gains: Mann Remarks days after 3 Indians killed by US | Bilateral today Chandigarh, June 16 A day after Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj pronounced Punjab Chief Minister as “Guru Dokhi” and “Panth Virodhi”, a defiant Bhagwant Singh Mann said the person in the controversial video was not him. This even as the Opposition clamour against the Chief Minister grew louder, with leaders from all parties seeking his resignation and state BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon ask- Manikant Mishra Tribune News Service Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 16 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on G7 nations to ensure the safety of seafarers and secure global maritime routes even as he met US President Donald Trump after nearly 15 months, setting the stage for a closely watched bilateral meeting against the backdrop of tensions in West Asia and lingering differences over trade. Addressing an outreach session of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, Modi said the conflict in West Asia had caused loss of life among India’s friendly countries, disrupted maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz and adversely affected the global economy. “Many Indian civilians have lost their lives. It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of PM Narendra Modi with President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit. AP No hugs, only firm handshake this time the seafarers who connect nations through global maritime trade. We must ensure that maritime routes remain secure and that seafarers can perform their duties without fear,” the PM said. His remarks came days after three Indian nationals were killed in attacks on commercial shipping in the region, underscoring the risks facing one of the world’s busiest energy corridors and the millions of Indians living and working across West Asia. Against this backdrop, Modi continued on page 8 New Delhi, June 16 Four new greenfield “Namo Cities” will be developed in the National Capital Region (NCR) at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore over the next five years to promote balanced growth across the region. As the NCR prepares for a future in which its population could nearly double to around 15 crore (as per officials), Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday moved closer to finalising an ambitious blueprint that seeks to reshape growth beyond Delhi through new cities, highcapacity rapid transport networks and decentralised urban development. The broad consensus reached at the 42nd meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), chaired by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, leaves the Regional Plan-2041 just a step away from formal adop- tion, with another meeting expected in August, as learnt by The Tribune. The in-principle approval for four “Namo Cities” or “Namo Nodes” is aimed at creating fresh economic and residential hubs across the NCR while decongesting the highly dense area of Delhi. Khattar said, “The states will compete for these projects through a challengebased selection process, with Rs 5,000 crore proposed to be released over five years to support their development.” While the states will submit competing proposals for Namo Cities, AK Sharma, UP Urban Minister, told The Tribune that the state was considering locations in the Noida region, including Dadri, Jewar and Bulandshahr, while Rajasthan’s Urban Minister said they were preparing proposals centred on Alwar and Bharatpur as their choice for Namo Cities. The move comes as planners continued on page 8 Today’s issue is of 18 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. c m y b Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM ing all Nanak Naam Leva Sikhs in the government to abide by the Akal Takht directions and not maintain any contact with him. Punjab polls ‘on schedule’ Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 16 The Assembly elections in Punjab and four other states, slated for early 2027, will be held on schedule, with the second phase of Census likely to be advanced to ensure there is no overlap. Phase 2 of Census may be advanced According to a top BJP source, there is no plan to advance polls in Punjab, UP Uttarak, hand, Goa and Manipur, continued on page 8 Akali Dal spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler asked Mann to bow before the Akal Takht, while Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring “advised” him not to defy the authority of the Akal Takht, and instead seek pardon. Mann, in a video statement, said he had the utmost respect and reverence for the Akal Takht. “Present-day officials at the supreme temporal seat are political appointees, serving their political masters by continued on page 8 Curbs on Telegram aheadofNEETretest New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday restricted access to the Telegram messaging app till June 22, a move the National Testing Agency (NTA) claimed was taken to protect the integrity of the NEET-UG re-examination on June 21. BACK PAGE