KATHMANDU: Nepal&#39;s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested Saturday morning over their alleged involvement in a deadly crackdown on protestors in September, police said. &quot;They were arrested this morning and the process will move forward according to the law,&quot; Kathmandu Valley police spokesman Om Adhikari told AFP. The detentions come a day after Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his cabinet were sworn in after the first elections since the 2025 uprising that toppled Oli&#39;s government. At least 77 people were killed in the anti-corruption youth uprising on September 8 and 9, which began over a brief social media ban, but tapped into longstanding fury over economic hardship. At least 19 young people were killed in a crackdown on the first day of protests. The unrest spread nationwide the following day as parliament and government offices were set ablaze, resulting in the government&#39;s collapse. A Nepal government-backed report into the deadly uprising has recommended the prosecution of 74-year-old Oli and other officials. The report said that it was &quot;not established that there was an order to shoot&quot;, but said that &quot;no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives&quot;. &quot;No one is above the law... This is not revenge against anyone, just the beginning of justice. I believe, now the country will take a new direction,&quot; newly appointed Home Minister Sudan Gurung, who was a key figure in the protests, posted on Instagram.

Former Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, along with other officials, attends the inaugural session marking the launch of the high-definition versions of four Nepal Television (NTV) channels on its 34th anniversary, January 30, 2019. (File photo: The Hi

Nepal

Nepal's former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested Saturday morning over their alleged involvement in a deadly crackdown on protestors in September, police said.

Nepal's ex-PM arrested over alleged role in protest crackdown

JHAPA: Nepal&#39;s rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah grinned and flashed a V-for-victory sign on Saturday as Election Commission officials confirmed he had beaten veteran leader KP Sharma Oli in their parliamentary constituency. The 35-year-old&#39;s party is also seemingly headed for a landslide victory nationally. His win over the 74-year-old Marxist leader, and his rise from the capital&#39;s mayor to potential prime minister, is one of the most dramatic results in recent Nepali politics. The first-time parliamentary lawmaker toured the streets of his new constituency on Saturday evening, wearing his signature dark sunglasses and waving from the sunroof of a car in a victory parade through cheering crowds who chanted &quot;Balen&quot;, as he is better known. Shah, who did not make a speech, won more than three times the votes than four-time prime minister. The high-stakes election on Thursday came six months after deadly protests toppled the government led by Oli, with at least 77 people killed. The September 2025 youth-led demonstrations, under a loose Gen Z banner, began over a brief social media ban but quickly tapped into broader grievances over corruption and a struggling economy. Oli congratulated Balen on social media platform X later on Saturday, conceding defeat. &quot;Congratulations! Wish you a smooth and successful five-year tenure,&quot; Oli said. Nationwide, Shah&#39;s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was on track to win a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, according to early trends issued by the Election Commission, although counting still has far to go. &quot;This is heading to a landslide victory -- this reflects the frustration that has been building up,&quot; said political analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta. &quot;It is actually the people&#39;s revolt against the established political parties,&quot; he said. &quot;The people understand that the new do not really have strong agendas, but it is a punishment to the parties for their decades-long poor governance.&quot; &nbsp;&#39;A day will come&#39;Shah leveraged his music fame and strong social media following to become Kathmandu&#39;s first independent mayor in 2022. Rojan Bhattarai, 22, a student in Jhapa, said Shah was &quot;a performer&quot;. &quot;I was 99.99 percent sure he would win, but the majority is shocking. That shows how much the people were upset with the previous government,&quot; Bhattarai told AFP. &quot;He has inspired us all.&quot; There were 76 declared results by Saturday evening. RSP took 61, Nepali Congress won nine, and Oli&#39;s Marxist party was trailing with three. Former Maoist guerrilla commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal&#39;s party has one. Trends showed Shah&#39;s RSP was also leading in 61 of the remaining 89 constituencies in the direct elections. It had secured comfortably more than half of the ballots counted so far in the proportional representation vote, which determines a further 110 seats through party lists. Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said RSP has &quot;taken the lead in many places&quot;, but that full results were still days away. &quot;According to our plan, it will take at least a week to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nepal-counts-votes-after-key-postuprising-election" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">count the proportional votes</a>, after which the election will go through the official process,&quot; he said. He said the count was &quot;going smoothly&quot; across the Himalayan nation, from snowbound mountain regions to the hot plains bordering India. Nepali Congress, the largest party in the past coalition government, also saw its new leader, Gagan Thapa, trailing in his constituency. &quot;This is even a bigger upset than we expected; it underscores the level of public disenchantment with the old parties for under-performance, as well as anger over the events of September,&quot; said Kunda Dixit, publisher of the weekly Nepali Times. The <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nepals-gen-z-pins-hopes-on-postuprising-elections" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">burnt-out ruins of Oli&#39;s home in Jhapa</a>, torched during the unrest, like hundreds of other buildings, including parliament, served as a reminder of last year&#39;s deadly violence. Dharmakala Gautam, 74, who watched the house burn, said she was tired of promises that never materialised. &quot;When the Maoists came to rule, we hoped for change, but not much happened,&quot; she said. &quot;I will keep some hope this time too.&quot;

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) election candidate Balendra Shah (C) shows a victory sign after collecting a certificate following his win in parliamentary elections at the counting centre in Damak in Nepal's Jhapa district on March 7, 2026.

His win over the 74-year-old Marxist leader, and his rise from the capital's mayor to potential prime minister, is one of the most dramatic results in recent Nepali politics.

Rapper-turned-politician Shah unseats former Nepal PM in own constituency

KATHMANDU:&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: source-sans-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">Nepal&#39;s rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah held an unassailable lead against ousted prime minister KP Sharma Oli in the highly contested face-off in Nepal&#39;s southeastern district of Jhapa, according to data by the Election Commission. The high-stakes parliamentary election on Thursday came six months after deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government, with at least 77 people killed. The September 2025 youth-led demonstrations, under a loose Gen Z banner, began over a brief social media ban but quickly tapped into broader grievances over corruption and a struggling economy. According to early trends issued by the Election Commission Saturday, 35-year-old Shah&#39;s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was on track to win a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament. &quot;Looking at the trend, the Rastriya Swatantra Party has taken the lead in many places and has won several seats,&quot; commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai told AFP. If the trends are confirmed by the vote count, 35-year-od Shah&#39;s victory over a veteran Marxist leader -- and his rise from city mayor to potential prime minister -- would mark one of the most dramatic results in recent Nepali politics. &quot;This is heading to a landslide victory -- this reflects the frustration that has been building up,&quot; said Chandra Dev Bhatta, a political analyst. &quot;It is actually the people&#39;s revolt against the established political parties,&quot; he added. &quot;The people understand that the new do not really have strong agendas, but it is a punishment to the parties for their decades-long poor governance.&quot; &nbsp;&#39;A day will come&#39; By Saturday morning, on the second day of counting, there were only 34 declared results -- RSP took 27, Nepali Congress won four, and the Marxist party of ousted prime minister KP Sharma Oli was trailing with one. Former Maoist guerrilla commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal has one seat for his party. But trends showed that Shah&#39;s RSP was also leading in 90 of the 165 constituencies in the direct elections. It had secured comfortably more than half of votes so far counted in the proportional representation vote, which determines a further 110 seats via party lists. Bhattarai said results from direct elections would be ready by Monday, but longer for full results to be ready. &quot;According to our plan, it will take at least a week to count the proportional votes, after which the election will go through the official process,&quot; he added. He said that vote counting was &quot;going smoothly&quot; across the Himalayan nation, from snowbound high-altitude mountain regions to the hot plains bordering India. On Friday, Shah&#39;s party loyalists danced on the streets of Kathmandu in celebration -- even though votes counted remain low, and final results could take days. DP Aryal, RSP deputy chairman, issued a message urging supporters to hold back on celebrations. &quot;Once we work, a day will come for us to celebrate,&quot; he said in a post on social media late Friday. Shah has also taken a commanding lead in the seat he is contesting -- a head-to-head contest against the 74-year-old ousted prime minister Oli, symbolising the clash between the old guard and a youth-driven call for change. Better known as Balen, Shah first leveraged his music fame and strong social media following to become Kathmandu&#39;s first independent mayor in 2022. Nepali Congress, the largest party in the past coalition government, saw its new leader Gagan Thapa trailing in his own constituency. &quot;This is even a bigger upset than we expected -- it underscores the level of public disenchantment with the old parties for under-performance, as well as anger over the events of September,&quot; said Kunda Dixit, publisher of the weekly Nepali Times. In Jhapa, soldiers with armoured trucks manned barbed wire barricades around the counting centre. Yagya Prasad Adhikari, a 49-year-old businessman who travelled from Kathmandu for the vote, said he supported the calls for calm before full results were ready. &quot;We want someone who works, not someone who talks,&quot; he said. &quot;We support Balen not celebrating.&quot; Meanwhile, the burnt-out ruins of Oli&#39;s home in Jhapa -- torched during the unrest, like hundreds of other buildings, including parliament -- serve as a reminder of the deadly violence that occurred last year. Dharmakala Gautam, 74, who watched the house burn, said she was tired of promises by politicians that never materialised. &quot;When the Maoists came to rule, we hoped for change -- but not much happened,&quot; she said. &quot;I will keep some hope this time too.&quot;

Election trends show rapper-turned-politician Balendra “Balen” Shah’s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party heading for a landslide and possible majority in Nepal’s 275-seat parliament, six months after deadly anti-corruption protests. 

Nepal's Balendra Shah holds unassailable poll lead for seat: Commission figures

KATHMANDU: Counting was underway in Nepal on Friday, after a high-stakes parliamentary election to reshape the country&#39;s leadership following 2025 protests that toppled the government. Key figures vying for power include Marxist leader KP Sharma Oli, the ousted four-time prime minister, rapper-turned-mayor Balendra Shah, bidding for the youth vote, and the newly elected leader of the Nepali Congress party, Gagan Thapa. In Kathmandu&#39;s tea shops and city squares, people were glued to their phones, checking results as early trends flashed up -- suggesting Shah&#39;s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was ahead. Prakash Nyupane, a spokesman for the Election Commission, said that counting was ongoing &quot;in a peaceful manner&quot; across the Himalayan nation, from snowbound high-altitude mountain regions to the hot plains bordering India. Voters have chosen who replaces the interim government in place since the September 2025 uprising, in which at least 77 people were killed, and parliament and scores of government buildings were torched. Youth-led protests under a loose Gen Z banner began as a demonstration against a brief social media ban, but were fed by wider grievances at corruption and a woeful economy. &quot;This is even a bigger upset than we expected -- it underscores the level of public disenchantment with the old parties for under-performance, as well as anger over the events of September,&quot; Kunda Dixit, publisher of the weekly Nepali Times, told AFP. &#39;Fate of the country&#39; The polls are one of the most hotly contested elections in the Himalayan republic of 30 million people since the end of a civil war in 2006. All eyes are watching the results in the key head-to-head battleground constituency of Jhapa-5, a usually sleepy eastern district, where 35-year-old Shah challenged directly the veteran Oli, aged 74. Shah, better known as Balen, snappily dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, has cast himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change -- and early trends suggested he was in the lead. Soldiers with armoured trucks manned barbed wire barricades around the counting centre in Jhapa. &quot;I hope this result changes the fate of the country for the better,&quot; Bhagawati Adhikari, 38, told AFP, who was among a crowd of dozens at Jhapa gathered outside the security cordon. &quot;The country should be peaceful and secure, youth should get opportunities, corruption should stop -- that&#39;s my appeal.&quot; &#39;Better path&#39; More than 3,400 candidates ran for 165 seats in direct elections to the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, with 110 more chosen via party lists. Turnout was 59 percent. Some results are expected later Friday, but full nationwide tallies could take several days. Even then, negotiations to form a government may drag on if -- as many analysts predict -- no single party secures an outright majority. But Dixit raised the possibility that Shah&#39;s RSP could stage a dramatic win. &quot;If RSP hits the magic 138 seats, Balen will become prime minister -- and hopefully a cabinet of technocrats,&quot; added Dixit. Sushila Karki, the interim prime minister, praised the peaceful conduct of a vote she has said was critical in &quot;determining our future&quot;. The challenge that Karki -- a 73-year-old former chief justice who reluctantly left retirement to lead the nation -- now faces will be managing the reaction to results. The election saw a wave of younger candidates promising to tackle Nepal&#39;s dismal economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated for decades and argue that their experience guarantees stability and security. Mira Ranjit, 49, who voted in the capital, Kathmandu, clapped as ballot boxes were collected under heavy guard and taken to counting centres late on Thursday. &quot;A new leader should emerge who can guide our country and show a better path for the nation, so that the Gen Z protest achieves its goal,&quot; she said. &quot;We don&#39;t need anything more than this. Many mothers lost their children, and their demands should be fulfilled.&quot;

Vote counting is underway in Nepal for the first election since youth led protests toppled the government in 2025

Nepal counts votes after key post-uprising election

KATHMANDU: Nepal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nepal-votes-in-key-postuprising-polls" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">voted</a>&nbsp;on Thursday for a new parliament in a high-stakes showdown between an entrenched old guard and a powerful youth movement, six months after deadly anti-corruption protests&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nepals-gen-z-pins-hopes-on-postuprising-elections" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">toppled the government</a>. Key figures contesting for power include the Marxist former prime minister seeking a return to office, a rapper-turned-mayor bidding for the youth vote, and the newly elected leader of the powerful Nepali Congress party. Election commission officials began collecting ballot boxes after voting closed, with papers to be taken under guard to a center in each constituency, before counting starts. Some winners are expected to be published as early as Friday, but full results may take several days. &quot;Nepalis have been waiting for change for so long, from one system to another,&quot; said Nilanta Shakya, 60, a retired engineer, who was among the first to vote at a college in the capital, Kathmandu. &quot;I hope there is a meaningful change this time,&quot; she added. Voters have chosen who replaces the interim government in place since the September 2025 uprising, in which at least 77 people were killed, and parliament and scores of government buildings were torched. Youth-led protests under a loose Gen Z banner began as a demonstration against a brief social media ban, but were fed by wider grievances at corruption and a woeful economy. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nepals-exchief-justice-sushila-karki-becomes-interim-premier-after-protests" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sushila Karki</a>, the interim prime minister, said the vote was critical in &quot;determining our future&quot;. The polls are one of the most hotly contested elections in the Himalayan republic of 30 million people since the end of a civil war in 2006. Thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed. The election saw a wave of younger candidates promising to tackle Nepal&#39;s dismal economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated for decades and argue that their experience guarantees stability and security. &quot;Today feels like a day of celebration,&quot; said Nirmala Bhandari, 50, a housewife, who danced in the street with friends for a video for social media, after casting her vote in Bhaktapur district outside the capital. &quot;I am hopeful that the country will get new leaders and that we will build a better nation.&quot; &#39;Blood will bring change&#39; Helicopters will be used to collect ballot boxes from snowbound mountain regions across Nepal, home to eight of the world&#39;s 10 highest peaks, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/hundreds-of-hikers-rescued-from-everest-after-severe-snowstorm" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mount Everest.</a> But all eyes will be focused on the hot farming plains south of Kathmandu, where all three prime ministerial hopefuls contested seats &ndash; a departure from past elections that focused on the capital. KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader ousted as prime minister last year and seeking a return to power, is being challenged in the usually sleepy eastern district of Jhapa by former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician. &quot;This election must reestablish democracy and contribute to end non-political, anarchic and violent tendencies,&quot; Oli said after voting, insisting his party would win the largest number of seats. The Jhapa-5 constituency, with around 163,000 voters, will determine whether Oli secures his seat or whether Shah enters parliament. Shah, from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who queued to vote in Kathmandu dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, has cast himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change. Also in the race as aspiring prime minister is Gagan Thapa, 49, the new head of the country&#39;s oldest party, Nepali Congress, who has said he wants to end the &quot;old age&quot; club of revolving veteran leaders. After casting his ballot, Thapa told AFP that it is &quot;the duty of the leaders&quot; not to let the events of last September occur again. On social media, voters shared images of their ink-marked thumbs &ndash; alongside photographs of the September protests. &quot;At the Gen Z protest, people died &ndash; and their blood will bring change, we hope,&quot; said Tek Bahadur Aale, 66, who voted in Jhapa. &quot;We hope a government with good governance, no corruption, comes this time.&quot; More than 3,400 candidates are running for 165 seats in direct elections to the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, with 110 more chosen via party lists. Analysts say the vote is unlikely to deliver an outright majority for any party.

Security personnel and electoral officials carry ballot boxes to the counting centre after voting ends at a polling station during Nepal's general election in Lalitpur on March 5, 2026. (AFP)

Key figures contesting for power include the Marxist former prime minister seeking a return to office, a rapper-turned-mayor bidding for the youth vote, and the newly elected leader of the powerful Nepali Congress party.

Nepal awaits results in key post-uprising polls

KATHMANDU: Six months after joining anti-corruption protests that rocked Nepal, 23-year-old Amrita Ban will vote in Thursday&#39;s election, hoping the new government will realise the movement&#39;s demands. Last September&#39;s violence, in which at least 77 people were killed, parliament set on fire and the government ousted, still shadows her today. &quot;It took months to sleep properly again,&quot; she told AFP. &quot;As soon as I closed my eyes, I would hear gunshots, like it was happening right now.&quot; The demonstrations were initially sparked by anger over a brief government ban on social media but were driven by deeper frustration over economic hardship, corruption and entrenched political practices. At least 19 people were killed in a security crackdown on the first day of protests, before the unrest spread across the country. &quot;The candidates I support are those whom I believe will carry forward the spirit of our movement,&quot; said Ban, who worked to encourage young people to vote. Nearly 19 million people have registered to vote in the parliamentary polls, including about 800,000 for the first time. &#39;Political awakening&#39; Young Nepalis largely led the protests, rallying under the loose banner of Gen Z. They do not have a party of their own, but exert pressure and wield significant influence, especially online. &quot;We are not in the election race, but we will still be active in raising our voices from outside, the streets are with us,&quot; said Yujan Rajbhandari, aged 24. &quot;The movement still continues.&quot; Former protesters have backed a surge of new candidates calling for change, and invoking the Gen Z movement. &quot;They cannot forget us if they win,&quot; 22-year-old Astha Basnet told AFP. &quot;There has been a political awakening among younger people,&quot; she added, saying people were &quot;very curious&quot; about the parties, policies and candidates. &quot;There is an excitement &ndash; and also a sense of responsibility &ndash;among the voters of our generation.&quot; Still, some activists warn against equating popularity with competence, or ignoring experience simply because someone is new. &quot;There is a danger to our democracy if we choose populism over capability,&quot; said Riyab Baniya, aged 21. &quot;Right now, those whose voices are louder are getting popular, but we have to be critical &ndash; we have to support people who will take our mandate forward.&quot; &#39;Tired of old leaders&#39; Many who drove the movement remain outside mainstream politics &ndash; raising concerns about whether their demands will be fully represented. &quot;We raised our voices against bad governance and corruption,&quot; said Janak Pokharel, 28. &quot;But the parties and leaders need to have a roadmap on how to address these issues and older existing problems.&quot; More than 3,400 candidates are running for 165 seats in direct elections to the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, with 110 more chosen via party lists. Nearly a third of them are under the age of 40, some of whom came to prominence through the protests. &quot;We are not looking just for new faces, we need a change in the culture &ndash; society was tired of the old leaders,&quot; Ban added. &quot;It is a testing period for forces of alternative politics.&quot;

Young Nepalis, leaders of deadly anti-corruption protests that ousted the government, rally first-time voters for Thursday's election, backing new candidates to combat graft and economic woes.

Nepal's Gen Z pins hopes on post-uprising elections

Web Desk

JHAPA: Nepal&#39;s election campaign entered its final day on Monday, six months after deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government, with rival leaders making a last push in a tightly contested race. The Himalayan republic will elect a new parliament on Thursday, replacing the interim government that has led the country of 30 million people since the September 2025 uprising in which at least 77 people were killed. Sushila Karki, who is serving as interim prime minister until the March 5 vote, has said the election will &quot;draw the future of the country&quot;. Two weeks of campaigning have showcased a wave of younger candidates promising to tackle Nepal&#39;s woeful economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated for two decades and argue that their experience guarantees stability and security. Among the key figures is KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader ousted as prime minister last year. He faces a high-profile challenge in his home constituency from former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician widely known as Balen. Their constituency of Jhapa-5 -- a mix of towns and farming settlements in Nepal&#39;s eastern plains, with the world&#39;s highest peaks on the horizon -- has emerged as a crucial battleground. A local defeat for either man would likely end his bid to become prime minister. &#39;Old age&#39; club&nbsp;&quot;We have had a difficult few years with old leadership, and we need new energy,&quot; said 50-year-old bus driver Pawan Jha told AFP, who attended Shah&#39;s rally in Jhapa. &quot;The protests were important to bring about change.&quot; Shah, dressed in a sharp-cut black suit and sunglasses, waving from a car he was driving himself through the farmlands of Jhapa, arrived at his rally to cheers, whistles, and thumping music. Oli, speaking to AFP, blamed &quot;anarchic forces&quot; for the violence that led to his removal and denied ordering security forces to kill protesters during the unrest. Shah, from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has cast himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change. &quot;Gen Z&#39;s number one demand is good governance, because there is a high level of corruption in the country,&quot; Shah told AFP. But he is not the only one wooing the youth vote. Aspiring prime minister Gagan Thapa, 49, the new head of the country&#39;s oldest party, Nepali Congress, told AFP he wanted to end the &quot;old age&quot; club of revolving veteran leaders. Thapa, a former health minister who took charge in January, said he offers voters the &quot;right mix of energy and experience&quot;. The last day of campaigning coincides with Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, with some candidates combining celebrations with their rallies. &#39;Without any fear&#39;&nbsp;Nearly 19 million registered voters will elect 275 members of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament -- 165 directly, with a further 110 chosen via a party-list proportional representation. Analysts say the vote is unlikely to deliver an outright majority for any single party. More than 3,400 candidates are competing in the direct vote, 30 percent aged under 40. The youth-led protests in September were triggered by a brief social media ban, but were fuelled by anger at economic stagnation and an ageing elite seen as out of touch. The World Bank estimates 82 percent of Nepal&#39;s workforce is in informal employment, with GDP per capita at $1,447 in 2024. Millions are forced to seek work abroad -- and their remittances make up the equivalent of around a third of Nepal&#39;s GDP. &quot;Unemployment is a big issue that needs to be resolved,&quot; &nbsp;said shopkeeper Mamata Devi Goswami, 49, who said she would vote for change. &quot;The youth should work here and earn their living, rather than go out of the country.&quot; Over two days in September, 77 people were killed, scores were injured, hundreds of buildings set on fire -- including parliament, courts, and a Hilton hotel. It was the country&#39;s worst violence in a decade since the civil war ended in 2006. Karki, a former chief justice, has said her government &quot;will leave no stone unturned to conduct the election in a clean, fair, fearless, and peaceful manner&quot; and has urged &quot;all citizens to exercise their voting rights with confidence and without any fear.&quot;

 Supporters waving flags attend a campaign rally of Nepali Congress party president and election candidate Gagan Thapa in Kathmandu on March 1, 2026 ahead of parliamentary elections in Nepal. (Photo by Prabin RANABHAT / AFP)

Heading to parliamentary elections after deadly anti-corruption protests, veteran leader KP Sharma Oli is facing a strong youth challenge from Balendra Shah, as economic frustration and demands for political renewal shape a closely fought contest.

Nepal rivals rally on final day of election campaign

JHAPA: Nepali candidates launched campaigning on Monday for next month&#39;s parliamentary elections, the first since deadly anti-corruption&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/gen-z-protests-digital-platforms-fuel-change-from-asia-to-africa" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">protests</a>&nbsp;toppled the previous government in 2025. In the key battleground of Jhapa-5 &mdash; a constituency in Nepal&#39;s eastern plains with the world&#39;s highest peaks on the horizon &mdash; a head-to-head political fight dominating the campaign was already heating up. The ousted former prime minister&#39;s bid to return to power &mdash;&nbsp;73-year-old Marxist leader KP&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nepals-exchief-justice-sushila-karki-becomes-interim-premier-after-protests" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sharma Oli</a>&nbsp;&mdash; is being challenged on his home turf by a rapper-turned-mayor casting himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change, 35-year-old Balendra Shah. Both Oli and Shah kicked off campaigning in Jhapa on Monday, wooing voters to their cause. &quot;KP Oli is a need of this nation,&quot; 66-year-old Jhapa resident Hima Karki told AFP, one of 163,000 voters in the constituency, a mix of towns and farming settlements. &quot;He is the savior of the nation, and his victory from here is certain.&quot; Others were more doubtful of Oli&#39;s return to power. &quot;Only the youth can bring change,&quot; said Chhabi Khatiwoda, 33, a Jhapa resident who has switched his support from Oli to Shah, who has joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the fourth biggest in the last parliament. &quot;It is high time we all became politically aware and work for new Nepal.&quot; The youth-led protests in September were triggered by a brief&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/meta-urges-australia-to-change-teen-social-media-ban" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">social media ban</a>, but were fueled by anger at economic stagnation and an ageing elite seen as out of touch. Over two days in September, 77 people were killed, scores were injured, hundreds of buildings set on fire &mdash; including parliament, courts and a Hilton hotel &mdash; and Oli was ousted. It was the Himalayan nation&#39;s worst violence since a decade-long civil war ended in 2006. &quot;This election will draw the future of the country,&quot; Sushila Karki, who is serving as interim prime minister until the March 5 vote, said ahead of the start of campaigning. Young and old Two weeks of campaigns will see a host of new, younger candidates promise to offer change, challenging veteran politicians who say they provide stability and security. &quot;Today is the first day,&quot; Election Commission spokesman Prakash Nyupane told AFP, but said that the active participation of parties was &quot;a good signal of a positive environment for the election&quot;. Shah, who first gained national attention through Nepal&#39;s underground hip-hop scene, releasing songs that railed against corruption and inequality, cultivated a devoted following on social media.&nbsp;But Oli-loyalist Hima Karki said the election battle would not be won online. &quot;Others may win on social media but we will win in the real election,&quot; he said. Also in the race is Nepali Congress, the country&rsquo;s oldest party. It was once part of Oli&#39;s coalition government, but has elected a new leader since the uprising &mdash;&nbsp;49 year old Gagan Thapa. And, at the other end of the spectrum from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/angry-with-governments-the-worlds-young-fill-streets-as-gen-z-protest" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gen Z politics</a>, supporters of the ex king Gyanendra Shah, 78 &mdash; deposed in 2008, ending 240 years of monarchy &mdash; will also campaign. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), which draws support from royalist nostalgia and frustration with mainstream politics, rallied thousands in Kathmandu on Friday as the ex-king drove through the streets waving from his car. &#39;Way out&#39; Nearly 19 million people have registered to vote, including 800,000 taking part for the first time. They will elect members to the 275-seat House of Representatives, the lower house, with 165 via a direct vote and 110 through proportional representation. More than 3,400 candidates are competing in the direct vote, 30%&nbsp;aged under 40. Campaign banners and party flags are already being strung up in towns, with a string of rallies planned as candidates seek to woo voters. &quot;This election is being conducted in a special condition,&quot; former chief justice Karki said, as she oversaw polling preparations last week. &quot;This has to give the country a way out.&quot; The Election Commission has said it is ready to hold the polls as planned despite concerns over weather conditions, as many high-altitude areas may be snowbound that early in the year. The vote is being held unusually early in the year, due to an accelerated election schedule brought on by the September unrest. Extra security forces have been drafted to ensure calm, with around 300,000 officers and temporary election police deployed.

Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli (2L), Nepal's former prime minister and Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) leader, greets supporters during a door-to-door election campaign rally in Damak, Jhapa district on February 16, 2026. (AFP)

Nepal launches campaigns for first post-uprising polls

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday issued its first-ever presidential statement on closer cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)&nbsp;to address regional challenges, including maritime security, terrorism, and food and water security.&nbsp; The statement, submitted by Bahrain&#39;s UN representative in his capacity as Council President for April, recognizes the GCC&rsquo;s &quot;position and expertise&quot; in promoting regional peace and security, and acknowledges its &quot;contributions to regional and international stability through mediation, preventive diplomacy, technical and financial support, and humanitarian engagement.&quot; The Council requested that the UN Secretary-General, Ant&oacute;nio Guterres, include recommendations on strengthening institutional ties with the GCC in his next report, and encouraged regular briefings by the GCC Secretary-General. &quot;The ongoing escalation underlines the urgent need for coordinated multilateral action,&quot; said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General, stressing the importance of &ldquo;strengthened&rdquo; UN-GCC cooperation. He highlighted the GCC&#39;s role in de-escalating regional tensions, supporting mediation in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, and its cooperation with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism. &#39;Cornerstone of the global economy&#39;GCC Secretary-General Jassim Albudaiwi told the Council the bloc is a &quot;cornerstone of the global economy&quot;, noting its combined output exceeded $2.3 trillion in 2024 and its members&rsquo; major contribution to global oil and gas supplies. He warned that instability in the Gulf carries global consequences. &quot;Stability in the Arabian Gulf is not merely a regional concern, but is rather a global necessity,&quot; he said. Bahrain&#39;s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al Zayani announced that his country had submitted a separate draft resolution to the Council addressing what he described as Iran&#39;s &quot;unlawful and unjustified&quot; attempts to control navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, with a vote expected Friday. Delegates from the United Kingdom and France backed GCC states&#39; right to defend their sovereignty, with France stating Iran &quot;bears the primary responsibility for the current escalation.&quot;&nbsp; Russia countered that the conflict was &quot;the direct result of an unprovoked act of aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran&#39;s territory.&quot; China and Pakistan jointly called for an immediate ceasefire and the launch of peace talks. The GCC, founded in 1981, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Americas

Europe

Middle East

The statement, submitted by Bahrain's UN representative, recognizes the GCC’s 'position and expertise' in promoting regional peace and security, and calls for deeper UN-GCC coordination on terrorism, maritime security, water and food security.

UNSC backs stronger cooperation with Gulf bloc in first-ever presidential statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday extended Good Friday greetings to the Christian community at home and abroad, emphasizing the values of compassion, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Prime Minister Sharif in a post on X on Friday stated: &quot;On the occasion of Good Friday, I extend sincere greetings to our brothers and sisters of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-extends-heartfelt-greetings-on-joyous-blessed-christmas" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christian community</a>&nbsp;in Pakistan and members of the Christian faith across the world.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039943098672025844&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cf1149a8b3beaafec088d9fab9bb7e3150ffa371&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;May this sacred day, marked by sacrifice and reflection, strengthen our shared commitment to compassion, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence,&quot; the prime minister added.

Culture

Says, ​'May this sacred day, marked by sacrifice and reflection, strengthen our shared commitment to compassion, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence'. 

Pakistan's PM Sharif extends Good Friday greetings, urges compassion and tolerance

PARIS:&nbsp;Iran should make a deal with the United States to end the war by offering to curb its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief, a former Iranian foreign minister said. Mohammad Javad Zarif, who served as foreign minister from 2013-2021, claimed in an op-ed for American journal Foreign Affairs that Tehran had the &quot;upper hand&quot; in the conflict against the US and Israel, but argued Iran needed to stop the war to prevent the loss of more civilian lives and damage to infrastructure. &quot;Iran should use its upper hand not to keep fighting but to declare victory and make a deal that both ends this conflict and prevents the next one,&quot; Zarif said in the piece published late Thursday. &quot;It should offer to place limits on its nuclear program and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to all sanctions a deal Washington wouldn&#39;t take before but might accept now,&quot; he added. &#39;Nonaggression pact&#39;&nbsp; Iran should also be prepared to accept a mutual &quot;nonaggression pact&quot; with the United States, as well as economic relations, he said. Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic ties since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution. Zarif, one of the architects of the now moribund 2015 deal over the Iranian nuclear program, is seen as a relative moderate within the Islamic republic elite, but has no official post in the current government. However this is one of the first times during this conflict that a high profile figure in Iran has called for a deal and an end to the war, with top military and political officials urging daily for fighting to continue until the US is defeated. &#39;Back to the stone ages&#39;US President Donald Trump has evoked ongoing talks with Tehran without giving details but also threatened to send the country &quot;back to the stone ages&quot; if it fails to agree terms. &quot;As an Iranian, outraged by Donald Trump&#39;s reckless aggression and crude insults, yet proud of our armed forces and resilient people, I am torn about publishing this peace-plan in Foreign Affairs,&quot; Zarif wrote in English on X Friday. &quot;Yet I&#39;m convinced that war must end on terms consistent with Iran&#39;s national interests,&quot; he added. Zarif in the Foreign Affairs piece warned that &quot;although continuing to fight the United States and Israel might be psychologically satisfying, it will lead only to the further destruction of civilian lives and infrastructure&quot;.

Mohammad Javad Zarif (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Mohammad Javad Zarif urges Iran to end the conflict with the US by negotiating a deal to limit its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iran's former top diplomat urges deal with US to end war

ISLAMABAD: Congress&rsquo; National spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed renewed scrutiny of alleged RSS backing for propaganda-style films in an X post, on Thursday.&nbsp;Dr. Shama said producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah had &ldquo;openly admitted&rdquo; that the RSS supported &ldquo;Kerala Story 2&rdquo; and arguing that this showed the organisation had backed a film meant to defame Kerala. Her post brought fresh attention to a wider debate over how the BJP and the RSS ecosystem support politically aligned cinema through ideological links, endorsements, tax breaks and promotion.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039579655645348127&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=c92d3faf5176e582d37f5cad3e26fa7ac3e0dbe2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>At least ten films have been produced or directed by individuals linked to the BJP, the RSS, or affiliated Hindutva organisations, an Indian news outlet, The Quint, reported on Friday. The films named in the report include The Kerala Story, The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond, Bastar: The Naxal Story, Razakar, Swatantra Veer Savarkar, PM Narendra Modi, Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra, Bengal 1947, The Accidental Prime Minister, and Jahangir National University.&nbsp;One of the most striking claims in that report concerns producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The Quint said Shah acknowledged at the 2023 World Hindu Congress that The Kerala Story could not have been made without RSS &ldquo;guidance and support.&rdquo; The report said he described the RSS as the film&rsquo;s &ldquo;guardian angels.&rdquo;&nbsp;Political endorsement has also come from the top. Reuters reported that Indian PM Narendra Modi publicly praised The Kashmir Files in 2022. BJP-ruled states then moved to make the film tax-free, helping widen its reach.&nbsp;A similar pattern was seen with The Kerala Story and Article 370. NDTV reported that BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh made The Kerala Story tax-free. NDTV also reported that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh made Article 370 tax-free.&nbsp; Taken together, the reporting suggests these films are not just cultural products. They are increasingly part of a political ecosystem where cinema, ideology, and state patronage intersect.

India

The BJP and the wider RSS ecosystem are backing a string of ultra-nationalist and propaganda-style films in India; the support is not always visible as direct funding but through political links, public endorsements, tax breaks, and coordinated promotion by party leaders and allied networks. 

Scrutiny grows over BJP-RSS backing of propaganda films

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the suicide attack on a police station in the Domel area of District Bannu, said a press release issued by Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office on Friday. The prime minister expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the incident that took place in the northwest of the country. Sharif prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured, the press release said. &ldquo;We are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country&rdquo;, the prime minister said.

Security

‘We are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country,’ the prime minister said, according to a press release.

PM Sharif strongly condemns suicide attack in northwest Pakistan  

JINJA: Giggles and songs ripple across a field in rural eastern Uganda where elderly women swing cricket bats as a way to reshape what ageing, health and sports can look like in later life. The so-called &quot;cricket grannies&quot; are bound together by a growing love of a game they initially knew nothing about but is now helping them manage age-related health conditions, stress and loneliness. Clad in floor-length dresses and mostly barefoot, the women, aged 50 to 90, gather weekly at a playground in Jinja district, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the capital, Kampala. Each swing draws cheers from teammates as the women turn Saturday morning practice into a lively spectacle. &quot;With the exercises I&#39;ve been doing, my legs used to hurt, but they no longer do,&quot; Jennifer Waibi Nanyonga, 72, told AFP. &quot;I spent the whole of last year without seeing a doctor for my back, yet it had previously been paining me,&quot; added the grandmother of 29. The initiative began in 2025 with just 10 grandmothers in the remote village of Kivubuka and has since grown more than tenfold. The programme was initially aimed at children, but when cricket coach Aaron Kusasira realised their caregivers had little knowledge of the game and often kept them from joining, he decided to involve the elderly women, too. &quot;We come here, we jog, we move around, we do some stretches,&quot; Kusasira, 26, said. They &quot;unknowingly have to run because they have to compete,&quot; he added. Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for deaths from noncommunicable diseases and, according to the World Health Organization, it is more common among women globally. International health data estimates that sedentary lifestyles are costing public health systems roughly US$27 billion per year and will continue to rise if activity levels are not improved. Fresh start&nbsp; Beyond physical activity, cricket has also fostered a sense of community among the Ugandan grannies. &quot;When at home, you have no company and spend your time buried in your thoughts,&quot; said an elderly woman who only gave her first name, Patriciah. For others, the weekly meetings have proved cathartic. &quot;When I arrive here and see my friends, we get together and talk about our problems, we counsel each other,&quot; said Jennifer Waibi Nanyonga. &quot;By the time we return home, everyone is lighter and with a fresh start,&quot; she added. For coach Kusasira, training the women has been a win-win, giving him the opportunity to coach children in the area without opposition. &quot;From the kids to the elders, provided I see the smiles it&#39;s enough. I know that is a day well spent,&quot; he said.

In eastern Uganda’s Jinja district, groups of older women have embraced cricket as a way to stay physically active and socially connected later in life. Often referred to locally as “cricket grannies”, they take part in informal games and training that co

Africa

The so-called "cricket grannies" are bound together by a growing love of a game they initially knew nothing about but is now helping them manage age-related health conditions, stress and loneliness.

From bats to bonds: Uganda's 'cricket grannies'

DHAKA: The Bangladesh government has introduced a series of measures aimed at addressing the impact of global disruptions and ensuring stability in fuel oil supply, following a high-level cabinet meeting held at night at the Cabinet Room in the Parliament Secretariat.&nbsp; Under the new directives, all government and private offices will operate from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Banking hours for public transactions will run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, while banks will officially close at 4:00 pm, Bangladeshi state media Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported.&nbsp; In an effort to conserve energy, shopping malls and markets nationwide must shut down by 6:00 pm. However, essential services including kitchen markets, food outlets, and pharmacies will remain exempt from this restriction. The decisions were taken by the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday night. Later, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani briefed the journalists at the media centre of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, saying that the government took measures considering fuel supply disruptions caused by the Middle East war.&nbsp;&nbsp;Prime Minister&rsquo;s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly was present at the briefing. Noting that several steps have been taken for the next three months to reduce government expenditure, the cabinet secretary said, &ldquo;No new vehicles, watercraft or aircraft will be purchased during this period&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;Procurement of new equipment, including computers, will also remain suspended, he said, adding, internal training has been reduced by 50 percent, while all foreign training under government funding will remain suspended until further notice.&nbsp;&nbsp;Expenditure on meetings and seminars has also been cut by 50 percent, Ghani said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Besides, he said, government spending in the power, energy and gas sectors will be reduced by 30 percent. The meeting issued a directive to reduce unnecessary travel expenses by 30 percent, the cabinet secretary added.&nbsp;&nbsp;He said new directives will be issued for the education sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ministry of Education will start issuing instructions in phases from Sunday, considering the needs of different levels, so that the measures do not have a negative impact on the education system, Ghani said.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a bid to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city during the school hour, he said, the government has decided to introduce electric buses for school students instead of private cars.&nbsp;&nbsp;Educational institutions joining the initiative will be able to import buses duty-free, the cabinet secretary said, adding, the private sector will also get this facility, but a 20 percent duty will apply for commercial purposes.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, only new buses will be allowed for import, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noting that imports from alternative sources are also being increased to maintain normal fuel supply, Ghani said initiatives have already been taken to import fuel from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan.

Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani briefed the journalists at the media centre of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (Photo : BSS)

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh government has introduced reduced working hours, spending cuts, and energy-saving measures to manage fuel shortages caused by global disruptions.

Bangladesh cuts expenditure, reduces office hours, orders markets shut after 6pm

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;US President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday and named his former personal lawyer to serve as the acting chief of the Justice Department. The US president announced the move in a social media post. &quot;Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year,&quot; Trump said on Truth Social. &quot;Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country.&quot; Bondi &quot;will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector,&quot; the president said, and will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who Trump described as &quot;a very talented and respected Legal Mind.&quot; According to The New York Times, Trump may name former Republican congressman Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, to be the next attorney general.In the meantime, the post will be filled by Blanche. &#39;Honor of a lifetime&#39;Bondi, in a post on X, said serving as attorney general had been &quot;the honor of a lifetime&quot; and said she will &quot;continue fighting for President Trump&quot; in her unspecified new private sector job. &quot;Over the next month I will be working tirelessly to transition the office of Attorney General to the amazing Todd Blanche,&quot; she said. &quot;I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again.&quot; Bondi&#39;s ouster comes nearly a month after Trump fired Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.&nbsp;Democratic lawmakers welcomed Bondi&#39;s firing. Bondi served as a prosecutor for 18 years before being elected Florida&#39;s attorney general in 2010, the first woman to hold the post.&nbsp;She was reelected to a second term in 2014.

Bondi 'will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector,' the president said, and will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who Trump described as 'a very talented and respected Legal Mind.'

Trump sacks attorney general Pam Bondi, replaces with lawyer Todd Blanche

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan&rsquo;s digital economy could contribute between 5%-7% of gross domestic product by 2030, provided structural constraints are addressed and reforms accelerate, according to a new report by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI).&nbsp;Titled &ldquo;Recommendations for Pakistan&rsquo;s Digital Future,&rdquo; the OICCI Digital Report 2025 presents a detailed assessment of the country&rsquo;s digital landscape, highlighting both measurable gains and persistent bottlenecks shaping future growth.&nbsp;The report frames Pakistan&rsquo;s digital sector as a rapidly expanding but uneven ecosystem, where strong growth in connectivity, exports and digital finance is being tempered by infrastructure gaps and slow policy execution, raising the stakes for reforms needed to unlock its full economic potential.&nbsp;The report identifies the digital sector as an emerging driver of productivity, exports and financial inclusion, supported by a growing user base and rising adoption of digital services.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) exports have reached $3.8 billion, while the freelance economy contributes $779 million in earnings.&nbsp;Digital access continues to expand, with more than 150 million broadband subscriptions and over 200 million telecom connections. The broader mobile ecosystem contributes an estimated $17 billion to the national economy.&nbsp;The report also underscores rapid growth in digital finance.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has made notable strides in digital payments and financial inclusion. The Raast instant payment system processed Rs18 trillion in peer-to-peer transactions in FY26, demonstrating the rapid adoption of digital financial services,&rdquo; said OICCI President Yousaf Hussain.&nbsp;However, infrastructure limitations remain a key constraint.&nbsp;Only 18% of cellular towers are connected through fiber, well below the global benchmark of around 40%, limiting network capacity and readiness for next-generation technologies.&nbsp;Policy execution is another concern.&nbsp;While engagement on digital policy has improved, implementation remains slow. The report notes that only about one-quarter of recommendations from OICCI&rsquo;s 2022 Digital Report have been carried out.&nbsp;&ldquo;Only about one-quarter of OICCI&rsquo;s digital policy recommendations issued in OICCI&rsquo;s Digital Report 2022 have been implemented so far. Faster execution, improved fiber penetration and a more investment-friendly regulatory environment will be essential to unlock Pakistan&rsquo;s digital potential,&rdquo; said M. Abdul Aleem, Secretary General of OICCI.&nbsp;To address these gaps, the report recommends reducing taxes on broadband services and digital devices, accelerating fiber deployment, ensuring regulatory clarity in data protection and cybersecurity, and strengthening public-private collaboration.&nbsp;The government has set a target of $5 billion in IT exports for FY26, while analysts project exports could reach around $4.5 billion, implying annual growth of 18% to 20% from the $3.8 billion recorded in FY25.&nbsp;Under the broader Uraan Pakistan framework, policymakers are targeting $10 billion in IT exports by FY29, requiring a compound annual growth rate of approximately 27%.&nbsp;The report concludes that while Pakistan&rsquo;s digital economy is expanding and foundational elements are in place, closing infrastructure gaps, accelerating policy implementation, and investing in advanced skills such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will determine whether current momentum translates into sustained economic impact

Economy

Pakistan’s digital economy is growing fast and could reach 5–7% of GDP by 2030, driven by rising IT exports, digital payments, and increasing internet and mobile use.

Pakistan digital economy seen reaching 7% GDP by 2030: Report

Web Desk/AFP

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