Submit your Article

The CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided to hold its national general convention in March 2024. A Central Committee meeting of the party held on Saturday and Sunday set the date for national conclave, informed party's spokesperson Jagannath Khatiwada. Likewise, the party has decided to focus its role for peace and stability in the country and chart out a plan of action to consolidate the party organization, he said. "The party meeting has decided to hold the national general convention by mid-March next year (2024) and prepare a plan of action within mid-June this year for party organizational expansion. We would move ahead accordingly", the spokesperson added.  

The Rastriya Swatantra Party, the fourth largest party in the Parliament, has decided to leave the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government. The party entered the Parliament from the November 20 elections. The Rastriya Swatantra Party joined the government along with the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister on January 26. The Supreme Court stripped party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane of all posts on January 27 saying that he didn’t have valid Nepali citizenship. Two days after he reacquired the Nepali citizenship, Lamichhane demanded that he be appointed as the Home Minister again. But, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his reluctance to appoint him as the Home Minister. A Central Committee meeting of the party held on Sunday decided to leave the government. The meeting, however, decided not to withdraw the support extended to the government. With the decision, Labor Minister Prasad Aryal, Education Minister Shishir Khanal and State Minister for Health Toshima Karki will tender their resignation from the government.

Urmila Aryal filed her nomination for the post of Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly from the ruling alliance on Sunday. CPN (Maoist Center) candidate Aryal filed her candidacy by reaching Lhotse Hall of the New Baneshwor-based Parliament building. A Standing Committee meeting of the CPN (Maoist Center) held on Saturday had decided to make Aryal the candidate of the National Assembly Vice-Chairperson. The Nepali Congress, however, had decided to not field its candidate for the election to the post of National Assembly Vice-Chairperson. Ganesh Prasad Timilsina of the CPN-UML is the Chairman of the National Assembly. There is a provision in the National Assembly that the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson should be from different parties. There are 58 lawmakers in the National Assembly. The election for the post of National Assembly Chairperson has been scheduled for Monday.

Pakistan’s former President General Pervez Musharraf has died in Dubai after a prolonged illness at Dubai American Hospital, according to a statement from the Pakistani military. He was 79 years old, CNN reported.

In a statement sent to CNN, senior military officials expressed their “heartfelt condolences” on the “sad demise of General Pervez Musharraf.”

“May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family,” the statement read.

The former leader, who had been living in self-imposed exile in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, seized power from former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a military coup in 1999 and appointed himself president in 2001, while remaining head of the army. He continued to lead Pakistan as president until 2008, according to CNN.

His term was punctuated by two failed assassination attempts in 2003. In November 2007, he declared a state of emergency, suspended Pakistan’s constitution, replaced the chief judge and blacked out independent TV outlets.

Musharraf said he did so to stabilize the country and to fight rising Islamist extremism. The action drew sharp criticism from the United States and democracy advocates. Pakistanis openly called for his removal.

Under pressure from the West, Musharraf later lifted the state of emergency and called elections, held in February 2008, in which his party fared badly.

He stepped down in August 2008 after the governing coalition began taking steps to impeach him.

Musharraf then went into exile but returned to Pakistan in 2013 with the aim of running in the country’s national elections. Instead, his plans unraveled as he became entangled in a web of court cases relating to his time in power.

In 2019, he was sentenced to death in absentia for high treason. The ruling was later overturned, CNN reported.

Musharraf had been living in Dubai since March 2016, when Pakistan’s Supreme Court lifted a travel ban, allowing him to leave the country to seek medical treatment there.

He was married to Sehba Musharraf and had a son and a daughter.