Besides regular political updates, the discovery of 16 kilogram gold in a den in Gorkha district on Thursday made headlines on the front pages of Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Friday. As the country marks the first anniversary of the rape and murder of Nirmala Pant, a 13-year-old girl from Kanchanpur district, on Friday, almost all the newspapers have covered the issue quite significantly.
Some other issues from social, political and economic spheres have been featured on the cover pages of Kathmandu newspapers today. Here is a summary.
Important
One year on, Nirmala Pant murder case is still a mystery
Almost all newspapers have published reports about the mysterious rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant in Kanchanpur district of far-western Nepal exactly one year ago from today. Most of the reports inform that the state mechanisms and police have failed to find any clue about the murderers and their intent.
Republica reports that around 600 people were interrogated during the investigation whereas 80 persons underwent DNA testing. Meanwhile, experts have expressed hope that perpetrators can still be nabbed based on DNA testing, reports The Himalayan Times.
Why does the NCP school department row continues?
According to newspaper reports, two additional leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party have expressed their desire to lead the party’s school department. Whereas the party leadership has failed to make a decision after secretariat members Ishwar Pokharel and Narayan Kaji Shrestha were adamant over their claim, standing committee members Ghana Shyam Bhusal and Bedu Ram Bhusal have also staked their claim to the position of late.
Meanwhile, leaders have expedited discussions in their bid to reach a conclusion, according to Annapurna Post.
Kantipur analyses that the party has four options to end the deadlock: make reconciliation between Pokharel and Shrestha and choose one, give the responsibility to either Jhala Nath Khanal or Bam Dev Gautam, keep the leadership within the party chairs, or choose one between two Bhusals.
Modi likely to visit Nepal in September
Nepal Samacharpatra reports in its lead story that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to come to Nepal on a four-day visit in the third week of September.
Indian security and diplomatic officials have launched preparations to make the visit take place on September 17-20, according to the report. An Indian security team visited Kathmandu twice to take stock of the security situations here, according to the report.
Ignored
Is the govt really promoting domestic drug industry?
Rajdhani claims in a two column report that the government has been importing various kinds of drugs from other countries despite that domestic factories also produce them sufficiently. Though the government has adopted a policy of protecting and promoting the domestic drug industry, it is not walking the talk, the report claims.
Domestic drug producers have demanded that the government restrict the import of the medicines which the country can produce sufficiently.
New law may let govt invade privacy
Another law being prepared by the government has also been drawn to controversy as Kantipur claims the draft of Telecommunications Bill has provisions that could invade people’s right to privacy.
The report says if Parliament passes the bill as it is now, telecommunications companies will be obliged to provide information received by their clients through the means of telecommunications to the government whenever the government demands so; and it would breach their right to privacy.
Govt preparing to hold talks with Biplav
Nagarik reports in a snippet that the government has launched preparations to hold talks with the banned Maoist outfit under the leadership of Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’. The Ministry of Home Affairs has launched preparations based on a report submitted by a panel under the leadership of lawmaker Som Prasad Pandey. The Ministry has also forwarded the report to the Cabinet for execution.
CAAN to split, for something good
The government is preparing to split the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal into two parts with the responsibilities of regulation and operation respectively, according to Republica.
The government has drafted two bills to facilitate the process.
The government has hoped that the move could be helpful for Nepal to get removed from the aviation safety list of the European Union as the EU officials had insisted that Nepal unbundle CAAN, according to the report.
The lead story in Arthik Abhiyan has also covered the same issue.
Bhaban Bhatta not to compete for NRNA leadership again
Nonresident Nepalis Association president Bhaban Bhatta has clarified that he will not complete to get the leadership again.
As Bhatta’s two-year term is approaching its closure, he announced that he would assist the next leadership from behind.
Karobar reports that current vice president Kumar Panta is preparing to file his candidacy for the top position.
Interesting
Manang villagers claim they discovered a lake at the highest altitude
The anchor story in Kantipur for the day informs that local leaders and public of Chame rural municipality in Manang district have claimed that they discovered a lake at an altitude of 5,002 metres near Lamjung Kailash Base camp of the district. Whereas Tilicho Lake located at an altitude of 4,919 metres has been supposed to be the lake at the highest altitude, they claim Kajin Sara Lake can change the record.
