Like in past few weeks, the most highlighted issue in major Nepalil and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu is the public pressure on the government and the police to conclude the investigation on Nirmala Pant murder and provide justice to the victim’s family at the earliest. At the same time, they have also reported updates in an investigation launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Other political activities including the rush of Federal Parliament to endorse various bills related to fundamental rights and statements of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli have made it to the front pages today.
There are some other economic and social issues featured on the cover pages.
Important
Thousands rally demanding justice for Nirmala
More than 50 days have passed since the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant in Bhimdatta Nagar of Kanchanpur. However, the government has failed to conclude an investigation and book the culprits. In this contexts, rights activists and members of the public organised rallies in many places across the country including Baneshwor of Kathmandu, according to newspaper reports. Parents of the victim had addressed the gathering in Kathmandu.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs suspended five more police staff suspecting their involvement in hiding the evidence.
What’s going on with fundamental right laws?
Gorkhapatra, The Himalayan Times and Republica have published reports informing that the Federal Parliament is in a rush as it has to endorse all laws required to implement the fundamental rights mentioned in the constitution by Tuesday, the third anniversary of constitution promulgation.
Meanwhile, Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post report that the Parliament meeting yesterday passed the Bill on Individual’s Right to Privacy after some key amendments as stakeholders including media organisations feared the violation of their rights under the new law.
Bamdev Gautam expedites constituency search
After failing to convince Dolpa’s House of Representatives member Dhan Bahadur Budha to resign so as to create a vacancy for him, senior leader of the Nepal Communist Party, Bamdev Gautam, has targeted Banke Constituency-3 to const a byelection so as to become a lawmaker, according to Annapurna Post.
Meanwhile, Naya Patrika reports that Gautam is eyeing Dailekh as well, as the district’s incumbent representative Rabindra Raj Sharma has already expressed his readiness to quit so creating a vacancy for Gautam.
Ignored
Govt to turn tough on diplomatic passport use
As the government is preparing to amend the existing passport law, it is turning tough on the use of diplomatic passports following complaints from stakeholders about their misuse, reports Annapurna Post.
Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali told so during a meeting of the International Committee in Parliament on Saturday.
Kathmandu will not get Melamchi water this Dashain too
Naya Patrika reports in a snippet that the government’s target to complete the construction works of Melamchi Water Supply Project by upcoming Dashain festival next month is being missed as a 12 kilometre section of a tunnel is yet to be fixed with concrete.
The project’s Executive Director Surya Raj Kandel, however, has claimed the works are going well at a good speed.
Staff unhappy with contribution-based pension system
Government staff have expressed their displeasure at the government’s decision to introduce contribution-based pension system as it will make them pay for the pension themselves, Nepal Samacharpatra reports in a brief story.
The report informs that the new system has already been implemented since the beginning of this fiscal year.
Nepal slips four positions in HDI
The Himalayan Times reports in its anchor story that Nepal’s position in the Human Development Index of the United Nations has come down four positions this time.
The new Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme has put Nepal in 149th position among 189 countries. Nepal was in the 144th position last year.
Among South Asian counties, Sri Lanka has been ranked at the top.
Interesting
Tricountry transmission line to sell Nepal’s energy to Bangladesh
After signing a power trade agreement with Nepal, Bangladesh has announced to purchase 9,000 megawatt electricity from Nepal in next 22 years. For this, a transmission line involving Nepal, India and Bangladesh has to be constructed, according to a four column story in Karobar.
The government of Nepal has already floated a proposal to construct the transmission line, but its feasibility study is yet to be done, the report informs.
