All major Nepali and English broadsheet newspapers published from Kathmandu on Friday have featured the signing of various agreements between Nepal and China as a part of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s official trip to Beijing. Other key issues covered on the front pages include the raid at residence of trader Bimal Poddar in connection with a gold smuggling case, the ongoing district presidents’ meeting of Nepali Congress and the Nepal Bankers’ Association’s decision to cap interest rates for commercial banks.
Important
Nepal, China achieve ‘most significant step in history of bilateral cooperation’
As formal events of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s official trip to China end with the meeting with his counterpart Li Keqiang and signing of 14 agreements of different kinds, newspapers have begun to analyse what Nepal got from the visit. All newspapers have highlighted an agreement signed between the two countries about extending Chinese railway from Kyirong to Kathmandu.
The Kathmandu Post lead story informs that both the countries have claimed the railway agreement is the most significant step in the history of bilateral cooperation. The report further adds Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali’s statement that the detailed project report for the railway will be completed in next one and half years or so and the construction with take five more years.
Other newspapers have also hailed the agreement that ensured the railway connectivity between two countries.
Naya Patrika, however, says the modality of investment for the railway project is still not clear.
Transitional Justice Act Amendment Bill ready
Republica, The Kathmandu Post and Naya Patrika have published reports that the government has prepared a bill to amend the Transitional Justice Act by inserting various new provisions.
The amendment, which will affect activities of Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons, is likely to be tabled in Parliament for endorsement in next two weeks, according to The Kathmandu Post. The amendment is prepared adhering to a Supreme Court verdict and international standards on transitional justice.
With the new provisions, the government is also preparing to withdraw cases now being investigated by the courts and bring them under the transitional justice mechanism, Republica says, adding it is also preparing to request the United Nations to send cases being investigated under the UN Human Rights Committee back to Nepal.
Meanwhile, the bill proposes waving 75 per cent of jail sentence if persons convicted of crime during the crime confessed their involvement, according to Naya Patrika.
Ignored
Merging banks to get tax exemption for two years
The government has decided to offer a tax exemption for next two years if banks and financial institutions merge with each other or if one acquires the other, according to a story in Karobar. The provision is being introduced as an encouragement for the merger.
The Finance Bill, currently being discussed in Parliament, has the provision.
NCP criticises other parties in its political document
The anchor story in The Himalayan Times reports that the political document of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has shown other prominent parties in poor light. It has identified the Nepali Congress as its competitive political force which is headed towards becoming a prohibitory opposition.
Likewise, it adds that two Madhesh-centric parties—Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal—have extremist views on caste, language and federalism.
Parliamentary committees yet to be formed
The anchor story in Kantipur reports that various parliamentary committees are yet to be formed though both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly have endorsed their regulations. Among the committees yet to be formed is also the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee and the delay has directly affected the appointment of Chief Justice.
The report blames political parties for the delay as they are yet to send names of their lawmakers to join different committees.
Interesting
Nepal begins preparations for BIMSTEC Summit
Nepal has begun preparations for the fourth summit of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation as its date has been fixed for August 30 and 31, reports Gorkhapatra. An organising committee has been formed under the leadership of Prime Minister whereas various subcommittees have been formed to carry out the preparations smoothly.
Local govts to run three museums
The anchor story in Nepal Samacharpatra reports that the Department of Archaeology under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the new government is handing over the management and operation of three museums to respective local governments from the next fiscal year.
The Department’s Director General Bhesh Narayan Dahal says the museums located in World Heritage sites—Hanumandhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur—will be handed over to Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Bhaktapur Municipality respectively.
