Prime Minister Oli calls all-party meet as anti-govt protests intensify in Nepal
Kathmandu (PTI): Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Tuesday called an all-party meeting to discuss Nepal's fast-deteriorating political situation amid intensifying student-led anti-government protests that have spread across the country.
Oli issued a statement announcing the meeting for 6:00 pm, though the venue was not specified.
He said dialogue was the way to resolve the crisis.
“Violence is not the way. We need to find a peaceful way out through dialogue,” Oli said.
The protests have escalated despite curfew orders in Kathmandu and other parts of the country.
Demonstrators are demanding Oli's resignation, saying the Home Minister's exit is not sufficient.
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned on Monday after police's use of force on violent protests by youths against a government ban on social media sites left 19 people dead and over 300 others injured.
“Home Minister's resignation is not enough, the Prime Minister should take the responsibility and resign,” a protester said.
Meanwhile, major online news portals have strongly criticised Monday’s police crackdown in Kathmandu, describing it as one of the deadliest days in Nepal’s recent history.
Popular news portal Ukeraa.com described September 8 as “a black day” when “the most number of demonstrators were killed in a single day in the history of Nepal”.
The media outlet demanded Oli's resignation.
Another news portal, Ratopati, accused the government of indiscriminately opening fire on protesting youths and students, describing the "cowardly action" as “highly deplorable”.
The portal noted that the agitation, spearheaded by young Nepalis, was not politically motivated but fuelled by frustration over corruption, nepotism, unemployment and growing social disorder.
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Pak, Afghan forces trade fire along Chaman border: Report
Islamabad (PTI): A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces was reported from the key Chaman border, according to a media report on Saturday.
Injuries were reported from the district hospital, but no fatalities occurred, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Officials from both sides accused each other of instigating the flare-up late on Friday night across the border in the Balochistan province.
While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.
Pakistan's official sources told Dawn that Pakistani forces retaliated against the Afghan aggression and returned fire.
There were also reports of fighting on the Chaman-Kandahar highway, but these could not be immediately verified.
A senior official in Quetta confirmed on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire started around 10 pm and continued until late at night.
The medical superintendent of Chaman district hospital said that three injured, including a woman, were brought to the medical facility.
There was neither any official word from the Inter-Services Public Relations -- Pakistan Army's media wing -- nor from the Foreign Office.
The Chaman border crossing, also known as Friendship Gate, connects Balochistan province to Afghanistan’s Kandahar.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated amidst regular allegations by Pakistan regarding the failure of the Afghan regime to deny safe havens to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists.
The two countries had agreed on a ceasefire following tensions last month, but the Foreign Office said last month that technically there was no truce as it was contingent on the Afghan Taliban stopping terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which they had failed to do.
