Afghan foreign minister Muttaqi set to visit India next week
New Delhi (PTI): Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to visit India next week, in the first high-level trip from Kabul after the Taliban captured power following the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani government over four years ago.
The Afghan foreign minister is expected to visit India from October 10, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. However, there is no official word on the visit yet.
Muttaqi was scheduled to visit New Delhi last month but it was called off in view of a travel ban that he faced under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions.
On September 30, a UNSC committee approved a temporary exemption to the travel ban, allowing Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from October 9 to 16, according to a UN statement.
Afghan media reported that Muttaqi will travel to Moscow on October 6 to attend the seventh round of Moscow Format talks.
The UNSC had slapped sanctions against all leading Taliban leaders and they have to secure a waiver for foreign travels.
Muttaqi's visit is expected to add a new dimension to India's relations with the Taliban setup in Kabul.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had held a phone conversation with Muttaqi on May 15.
It was the highest level of contact between New Delhi and Kabul since the Taliban came to power.
India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul.
New Delhi has also been insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
In January, the Taliban regime described India as an "important" regional and economic power following talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Muttaqi.
India has so far sent several shipments of humanitarian aid, including wheat and medicines, to Afghanistan.
India has been pitching to provide unimpeded aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian situation in the country.
In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a "technical team" in its embassy in the Afghan capital.
India had withdrawn its officials from the embassy on concerns over security after the Taliban seized power in August 2021.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
