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Bagmati Province Assembly Speaker Bhuwan Kumar Pathak has called for an all-party meeting today.

Speaker Pathak has called an all-party meeting for 10 am on Sunday to discuss the conduct of the provincial assembly meeting. It may be noted that the meeting has been stalled following the objection of opposition parties including UML.

A meeting of the provincial assembly has also been called for 11 today, with the probability of a consensus being reached from the all-party meeting. The provincial assembly meeting has not been held since July 7.

The provincial assembly meeting called for September 4 was postponed three times after the government and opposition parties failed to reach an agreement.

Tarun Dal cadres have staged a protest against the attack on Joint General Secretary of Nepali Congress Mahendra Yadav on Friday.

Cadres of the youth wing of the Congress staged a demonstration at the Bhrikutimandap-based Exhibition Road this afternoon demanding resignation of Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

The protesters also chanted various slogans against the Home Minister.

Yadav was attacked with a khukuri while he was exiting from the Reporters’ Club on Thursday afternoon.

The NC leader, who sustained injuries on his head, is undergoing treatment at the Trauma Center.

Meanwhile, police have arrested Shyam Bahadur Sapkota of Nuwakot for his alleged involvement in the attack.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his confidence that the Federal Civil Service Bill will be passed by the Parliament as early as possible.

Addressing a program organized on the occasion of the 20th Civil Service Day here today, PM Dahal said that the Council of Ministers on last Thursday decided to send the very bill to the Parliament and believed that the Bill would be endorsed by the Parliament through the consensus of the political parties.

Dahal assured that the incumbent government was committed to making the civil administration competitive at national and international level by motivating the entire administration system of the country as well as by making it highly moral, fair, transparent, result-oriented, accountable, clean, competent and technology-friendly.

"The role of civil employees is important in big political changes in the country. The contribution made by the civil administration in difficult circumstances of the country is important. From running State affairs to continuing developmental works and delivering public services to transitional management, the civil administration has played an important role," acknowledged the PM, lauding all the civil employees for this.

Stating that the major task of the incumbent government was to institutionalize political changes and lead the country to the agenda of social justice, good-governance and prosperity, he asserted that incumbent government also had the responsibility and challenges to give the benefit of change in the governance system to the people who struggled for political changes.

He further said, "If only this happens, democracy would be strengthened and the public's trust and confidence towards the State would increase. The civil administration should deliver under the political guidance to achieve long-term goals of social justice, good-governance and prosperity."

The Head of the Government asserted that it was everyone's responsibility to work focusing on the Common Minimum Program, policies and programs of the government as well as the budget of the current fiscal year.

Furthermore, he said that the government, embracing the main essence and sentiments of the constitution, was moving ahead with its focus on the effective implementation of federalism, governance structure and working style, public service delivery and zero tolerance for corruption.

PM Dahal believed that the civil servants would work actively and with determination by word, heart and deed in the campaign of transforming the nation's face infusing new energy in the civil service while tearing apart the sense of despondency among the people.

According to him, the civil administration needed a qualitative change in line with the present political changes and the constitutional provisions while also internalizing the role of the Civil Service Act issued on September 6, 1956, for the transformation of the civil service in tune with the political change.

"For this, policy-level, legal, institutional, structural and practical provisions have to be made for developing a service-oriented, responsible and professional civil service that is fully committed to the federal democratic republic, politically neutral and professionally efficient and highly motivated," the Prime Minister elaborated.

He insisted that the long-awaited Federal Civil Service Act would prove to be a milestone in institutionalization of the administrative federalism, in consolidating the federal democratic republic and its implementation while strengthening the functional interrelation of the administration among the three tiers of government and maintaining the administrative interrelationship amongst the federal, provincial and local level governments.

The Prime Minister reiterated that dutiful and capable employees with integrity who are dedicated to the service and interests of the nation and people and work hard in their work area would be further motivated by pursuing the system of reward and punishment in a concrete manner in future.

Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah sent shockwaves this week when he ominously threatened to set Singha Durbar ablaze. This fiery outburst followed a confrontation between traffic police and a government vehicle carrying his spouse. After facing widespread backlash, Shah deleted his incendiary social media post and offered a somewhat begrudging apology.

Yet, amidst the chaos, a surprising faction of the population, predominantly composed of impassioned youth, rallied behind his violent online rhetoric to channel their frustration. In another corner of Nepal, Harka Sampang, the mayor of Dharan Municipality, irresponsibly stoked tensions between two religious communities. Instead of acting as a unifying leader, Sampang was accused of taking sides, exacerbating the conflict. 

The precarious state of security in the nation became apparent when an individual armed with a Khukuri attacked Nepali Congress leader Mahendra Yadav on Wednesday. These developments are undeniably troubling.

Frustration has been simmering in society due to the underperformance of mainstream political parties, and leaders like Shah and Sampang, who wield power, are making inflammatory statements that could ignite societal unrest. At this juncture, it becomes imperative for society to subject figures like Shah and Sampang to heightened scrutiny. Their pro-people initiatives are praiseworthy, but their use of online platforms to incite violence must be condemned. Meanwhile the government and mainstream political parties appear deaf to the economic and societal issues plaguing the nation.

Rampant corruption scandals have besmirched the reputation of politicians and traditional political entities, yet they persist in safeguarding their personal and party interests, further stoking public frustration.

Experts say that the recent incident in Dharan should serve as a stark wakeup call for both the state and political parties. It hints at the potential for communal tensions, as certain elements seem to be systematically sowing discord in an otherwise harmonious society. Any communal strife could pose a 

significant threat to national security. 

Regrettably, some of our leaders are exacerbating the situation rather than working to quell it. The nation’s economic crisis is spiraling into a disconcerting abyss. Despite some positive indicators in the external sector, such as increased remittances and a slight uptick in tourism, economic distress is worsening by the day. Foreign direct investment is declining, as is foreign assistance. Business owners are reluctant to secure loans from banks, partly due to discouraging government policies, leading to a troubling trend of capital flight.

Disturbing reports emerged from Janakpur this Wednesday, revealing that over 50 percent of small businesses have shuttered due to the economic slowdown. This crisis extends beyond media headlines; every business, industry, and enterprise is suffering. 

Job creation remains a distant dream, with around 2,000 youths departing for foreign shores every day, either as students or workers. Conversations with college students reveal deep disillusionment about their career prospects and future, with emigration becoming the only viable path toward a better life.

Society is grappling with more profound challenges than our political and policy-makers might assume. Lower-income individuals who entrusted their savings to cooperatives find themselves losing hope of recovering their deposits. They take to the streets in protest, while government promises to refund their money remain confined to paper. Despite legislative measures, the menace of loan sharks continues to prey on vulnerable communities.

Incomes are plummeting, while the prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing, with economists warning of potential inflation. People are poised to endure even greater hardships. Additionally, climate change has ushered in prolonged droughts in the Madhes region, resulting in crop failures that threaten food security. 

India has imposed taxes on rice and other grains and halted the export of certain food items, exacerbating the looming food crisis. Farmers, already grappling with the loss of thousands of cattle due to lumpy skin disease, received government vaccines too late to avert disaster.

As our nation weakens, foreign powers intensify their efforts to gain influence in Nepal, with the tremors of great-power rivalry palpable in Kathmandu. While politicians may perceive calm on the surface, this tranquility may be the prelude to a storm. It is high time for the government and politicians to rouse themselves and address these pressing issues before they erupt into something far more volatile.

Points to ponder

• Violent communication by Balen and Sampang
• Shaky social harmony  
• People’s deposits in cooperatives are not safe
• The issue of loan shark remains
• Farmers are in distress due to diseases and climate change
• Food insecurity looms
• Businesspersons are in panic
• Money is piling in the bank
• Foreign meddling is increasing
• Inflation is going up, people are in distress
• Capital flight unabated 
• Youths are leaving the country