Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Sunday have given priority to a host of issues from political, sociocultural and economic spheres. Many newspapers have published on their front pages followup reports on an 11 point agreement signed between the government and political activist CK Raut, who announced the denouncement of secessionist activities. In particular, they highlight that some points of the agreement are so ambiguous that different groups can interpret in the ways they like.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee spent the 45 day time allocated to it in order to make a decision on the nomination of Samim Miya Ansari for the position of Muslim Commission chair. Some newspapers have published it also on their front pages.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the cover pages of national broadsheets:
Important
Ansari almost certain to lead Muslim Commission
Though the PHSC has not made any decision about the nomination of the controversial figure for the constitutional position, he is likely to head the Muslim Commission, according to reports in Nagarik, Republica and The Himalayan Times.
The constitution requires the committee to make a decision on the Constitutional Council’s nomination within 45 days for forwarding the nomination; upon its failure to take the decision, the name will be deemed as endorsed, explains The Himalayan Times.
The Council has made the decision on January 20 and forwarded the name for hearing after four days.
Govt directs officials against ‘political treatment’ to Chand
Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has told security officials not to treat Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’-led Maoist party as a political group, Kantipur reports in its lead story filed from Surkhet.
Thapa made the directive during a provincial security meeting in Sukhet, according to the report.
Kantipur‘s sister publication, The Kathmandu Post, meanwhile informs that experts have demanded the government make it clear whether the party is a political outfit or a terror group.
Both the groups have discussed the issue in relation to suspicions that the party might be involved in an explosion in Basundhara of Kathmandu on Friday.
Province 2 prepares to challenge CDOs
In what appears to be a confrontation with the federal government, the Province 2 government is preparing to post ‘district administration officers’, who will perform various functions like those of chief district officers of the federal government, in each district, Naya Patrika reports.
The provincial Council of Ministers last week endorsed the bill on provincial administration which includes the provision, according to the report.
Ignored
Nearly 1,000 Nepali children are missing
A government agency assigned to help people find missing children has informed that around 1,000 children are missing across the country currently.
Total 961 children including 284 boys and 677 girls are missing, according to the agency. Province 2 has the highest number of missing children whereas Gandaki province the least.
Meanwhile, poverty, family conflicts, lack of care and peer pressure have been identified as factors behind such incidents, according to the anchor story in Nepal Samacharpatra.
Govt purchasing 30 escorting bikes worth Rs 140 million
Nagarik lead story for the day reports that the government is preparing to purchase 30 Japanese Suzuki motorbikes of 650cc capacity for escorting of VVIPs. An agreement has already been signed for the purchase, according to the report.
The government is spending Rs 139.7 million in the deal.
Pokharel assures increased old age allowance from this year
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Ishwar Pokharel has assured that the government will increase the old age allowance to Rs 5,000 a month within the current fiscal year, Gorkhapatra reports in a brief story..
Addressing leaders and cadres of his Nepal Communist Party in Jhapa district on Saturday, Pokharel said the anti-government forces were active to block the government from achieving success.
Interesting
Physical fitness a challenge for Nepal Police
A three column story in Rajdhani informs that the national police organisation, Nepal Police, is finding it problematic to maintain required physical fitness of its officials and personnel. The organisation launched various programmes to deal with the issue in the past, but in vain.
Nepal Police spokesperson SSP Uttam Raj Subedi has told the newspaper that the organisation could not give the personnel proper training as they are scattered at various local units.
