Category: Asia News

Categories
Asia News Defence

Pak Army concerned over cross-border firing along Afghan border

Pakistani Army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa

This statement comes after Army Chief of Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa chaired a meeting with the country’s top army brass at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi….reports Asian Lite News

The Pakistan Army has expressed concern about the recent cross-border firing incidents along the Afghan Border area, the Pakistan military’s media wing said on Tuesday.

“Taking serious note of the recent cross border firing incidents from Afghanistan and regrouping of terrorist leadership/outfits across, forum expressed hope that Afghanistan soil will not be used against Pakistan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a tweet.

This statement comes after Army Chief of Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa chaired a meeting with the country’s top army brass at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

“In light of emerging regional security situation, Pakistan has taken effective border control/management measures and the same is expected from Afghanistan to deny any space to spoilers of peace, forum reiterated,” ISPR added.

Last week, a Pakistani soldier was killed near the Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s North Waziristan district. The ISPR had said Pakistan has consistently asked Afghanistan to ensure effective management and control on their side of the Pak-Afghan Border.

In another incident, four Pakistani soldiers were killed and six others injured in a terrorist attack, earlier this month, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan.

According to a Pak media report, the majority of work on Pakistan’s side of the fence, on nearly 2,600 kilometers border with Afghanistan, has been completed.

ISPR had said the fence is being erected to stop terrorist activities and illegal activities including smuggling from Afghanistan. However, Kabul does not recognize the border, called the Durand line.

Meanwhile, Taliban militants have seized three districts over the past weeks amid increasing militancy and counter-militancy in Afghanistan, local media reported.

In its latest attempt to gain ground, the Taliban militants overrun Jalriz district in Wardak province and Dawlat Shah district in Laghman province.

The Taliban militants also captured Burka district in Baghlan province earlier this month in the wake of fierce fighting.

Security officials said that Afghan forces have made “tactical retreat” from the mentioned areas.

Addressing the media on Monday, spokesman for the Defence Ministry Rohullah Ahmadzai blamed the Taliban insurgents for using civilians as human shields and planting mines in the areas to slow down the security forces advance.

Justifying the “tactical retreat” as part of war strategy, Ahmadzai said that the security forces are capable enough to evict the militants from the areas, noting protecting civilians and cleaning mines take time. (with inputs from ANI)

ALSO READ: ‘Pakistan on the brink of complete breakdown’
Categories
-Top News Asia News USA

Pakistan will not provide bases to US in future

The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access…reports Asian Lite News

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.

The foreign minister also rejected as unfounded the reports of providing the US, bases in Pakistan, making it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would never provide its bases to the US, nor would allow drone attacks inside Pakistan, reported The News International.

“I want to assure the House that Pakistan is in safe hands,” he remarked.

The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan.

Responding to the concerns of a senator, the Qureshi said, “Because what we were fearing and we still fear and are concerned that a vacuum created in Afghanistan can drag or suck the country back into the decade of 1990s”.

Qureshi contended that as the US planned to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Pakistan would continue playing its role for advancement of the peace process in that country, reported The News International.

Mian Raza Rabbani, ex-chairman Senate, also said that Pakistan should not allow the United States the use of its air and ground facilities for action in Afghanistan and an international mechanism be thrashed out to prevent such circumstances from happening again.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Washington told Dawn that Pakistan had always allowed overflights and ground access to the US to facilitate its military presence in Afghanistan and would continue to do so.

ALSO READ: Pakistan literacy rate remains stagnant at 60%

Asserting that Pakistan’s priorities have changed, Foreign Minister Qureshi asked the United States to come out of its hangover and quit seeing Islamabad from the “Afghanistan prism”, adding that Washington should focus on the bilateral side to their relationship.

Qureshi, in an interview with the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, emphasised that Islamabad’s priority now includes economic growth and human development.

“We’ve told them that Pakistan’s thought process has changed. The US administration should come out of its hangover of the past. It’s a new, transformed Pakistan, in which our priorities have changed. Our priority is economic growth, human development, economic security, elimination and eradication of terrorism, and reversing extremism,” the Pakistan Foreign Minister told Nikkei.

Answering a question over juggling ties with the US and China, the minister said Pakistan has been telling the Americans: “If you go away, somebody has to step in.”

“You’re not investing in Pakistan, you’re not engaging with Pakistan. How are you helping build this bilateral relationship? The only way you can do that is remain engaged. Now if you just come up with a transactional relationship, it won’t work. You can’t just keep on saying, “Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Afghanistan.” There’s a bilateral side to us as well.” (ANI)

ALSO READ: Child sexual abuses on the rise in Pakistan

Categories
Asia News UK News

Afghan protesters vandalise Pak High Commission in London

Expressing their increasing anger against Pakistan, a group of Afghan protesters on Monday staged a demonstration outside the Pakistani High Commission building in London…reports Hamza Ameer

Anti-Pakistan sentiments is fuelling anger among the locals in Afghanistan and its nationals living abroad, as killings of innocent people in various incidents in Afghanistan have been blamed on terror infiltration from across the Pakistan border.

Expressing their increasing anger against Pakistan, a group of Afghan protesters on Monday staged a demonstration outside the Pakistani High Commission building in London, carrying banners and raising anti-Pakistan slogans.

The protest turned aggressive and violent after some of the protesters attacked the building by pelting stones and throwing water bottles at the Pakistan High Commission premises.

Footages of the protest, which went viral on social media, showed protesters throwing objects at the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) premises, which is located on the Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge.

The police authorities present at the site could also be seen trying to stop the protesters.


The Pakistan High Commission, taking notice of the incident, has lodged a complaint with the UK government, asking it to take strict action against the culprits, who damaged the building of the high commission.

“The video footage of the damage has been shared with the authorities and a request for strict security arrangements has been submitted,” confirmed the PHC officials.

Pakistan has also reminded the UK government of the protest in 2019, when an ethnic group had vandalised the commission’s building. However, no action was taken against the culprits.

It is believed that the protest was led by a group called ‘The Watan’, which had also called for a protest on Sunday outside the Pakistani High Commission in London.

The protest was about the killings in Afghanistan, blame for which has been put on Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that The Watan group shared an address with the Afghan Embassy in London, at Princess Gate, SW7.

Anti-Pakistan sentiments have been on the rise among the Afghan nationals as the Ashraf Ghani government in Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of continuing to support the terror groups and allowing them to carry out attacks inside Afghanistan, which has resulted in loss of innocent lives.

Pakistan, however, has rejected the Afghan accusation and stated that Pakistani soil is not used by any terrorist group to destabilise Afghanistan and the Afghan peace process.

ALSO READ: UK witnesses George Floyd commemorations

Categories
Asia News Nepal Politics

Ruling party’s 11 lawmakers expelled for supporting oppn

A standing committee meeting of the ruling party held here decided to take action against former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal along with nine others…reports Asian Lite News

Nepal’s ruling Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) on Monday expelled 11of its lawmakers including former Prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal for going against the party and supporting the alliance formed by the Opposition.

A standing committee meeting of the ruling party held here decided to take action against former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal along with nine others for supporting the Opposition to oust the government.

According to an official release, Ram Kumari Jhankri, Mukunda Neupane, Kalila Khatun, Sarala Yadav, Pushpa Kumari Karna, Nira Devi Jaisi, Pushpa Karna Kayastha and Kalyanai Khadka have been expelled from the party.

Earlier on Saturday, the UML had sought clarification from 11 lawmakers for extending their support to oust party from the government. The decision to expel them even from the party’s general membership comes hours after the deadline given them to furnish clarification expired on Monday morning.

Sher Bahadur Deuba

With the expulsion of leaders, the party is on the brink of formal split. A new party called CPN (Unified) has already been registered with the Election Commission (EC) by a student leader close to Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Meanwhile, the Standing Committee meeting on Monday also decided to seek clarification from 12 other lawmakers of the party for their involvement in supporting the Opposition alliance to oust the UML-led government.

These lawmakers providing their signatures to make Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba a new Prime Minister are also likely to be expelled from the party’s general membership.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, President Bidya Devi Bhandari issued an ordinance to amend the Nepali Citizenship Act, reported The Himalayan Times.

The President’s office said in a statement issued that the President had issued the Nepali Citizenship (first amendment) ordinance pursuant to Article 114 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal.

After the issuance of the ordinance, citizenship by descent will be provided to offsprings of ‘bona fide’ citizens of Nepal, those owning citizenship by birthright. Likewise, as per the ordinance, the children whose mothers are Nepali citizens but their fathers’ identities cannot be established, will be granted Nepali citizenship.

Amendment of the citizenship act was one of the clauses put forward by Mahantha Thakur, Rajendra Mahato faction of the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal to provide their support to Prime Minister Oli.

The bill was under discussion in the House of Representatives for the past two years but was not endorsed due to disputes among the parties, The Himalayan Times reported further. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Chaos in Nepal after Oli dissolves Parliament
Categories
-Top News Afghanistan Australia

Australia to shut Kabul embassy

According to the joint media statement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne, the embassy building will be closed on May 28…reports Asian Lite News

Australia will close its embassy in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, where the Australian troops are scheduled to withdraw later this year, an official statement issued here on Tuesday said.

According to the joint media statement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne, the embassy building will be closed on May 28, reports Xinhua news agency.

“Our residential representation in Afghanistan and the Australian Embassy in Kabul will be closed at this time,” they said.

“It is Australia’s expectation that this measure will be temporary and that we will resume a permanent presence in Kabul once circumstances permit,” the statement said.

“The departure of the international forces and hence Australian forces from Afghanistan over the next few months brings with it an increasingly uncertain security environment where the Government has been advised that security arrangements could not be provided to support our ongoing diplomatic presence,” the statement added.

Morrison announced in April that Australian troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September this year.

ALSO READ: Beijing strikes back at Australia

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the embassy has been open since 2006.

US President Joe Biden announced on April 14 that all American troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan before September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks in America.

Troops in Afghanistan.

Australia announced to withdraw its troops from Afghansitan a day after the US announcement.

As the security situation in Afghansitan remains complicated and terrorism keeps festering, analysts deem the US decision as irresponsible and warn against an intensifying civil conflict and more rampant terrorist acts.

The security situation in the war-torn Afghanistan has been deteriorating over the past weeks as Taliban militants have intensified their offensives by attacking government forces and conducting suicide bombing attacks.

ALSO READ: Australia to lift India travel ban from May 15

Categories
-Top News Asia News Parenting

Child sexual abuses on the rise in Pakistan

As many as 2,960 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in the media, according to Sahil’s annual report published in March this year, representing a four per cent increase compared to 2019…reports Asian Lite News

Child sexual abuse cases are rising steadily in Pakistan and both boys are girls are vulnerable to such horrific attacks, which involves influential people as well.

Barkat Ali Ansari, Sindh Provincial Coordinator of Sahil, an organisation working for child protection, told The Express Tribune that in many child sexual cases, influential people are involved, so cases are not registered.

“The influential people tell police they will decide something [with the family] on the issue between themselves and the case does not end getting registered the case. Moreover, police also don’t register cases without medical reports,” he said.

Ansari further informed that in most sexual violence cases, the culprits are known to their victims, such as neighbours, family friends, teachers or even relatives.

As many as 2,960 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in the media, according to Sahil’s annual report published in March this year, representing a four per cent increase compared to 2019.

An analysis of the data reveals that in 2020, out of the total reported cases, 985 cases were reported of sodomy, 787 cases were rape, 89 cases were pornography and child sexual abuse, and 80 cases were reported of murder after child sexual abuse, whereas 834 cases were reported of abduction, reported The Express Tribune.

ALSO READ: ‘Pakistan on the brink of complete breakdown’

Sexual abuse against boys is much more common than people believe, according to Developmental Psychologist at the Aga Khan University Waliyah Mughis.

“Both, female and male victims can struggle to be believed by others but the taboo surrounding male child victims maybe even higher. Regardless of gender, the harmful effects of sexual violence are the same for males and females: guilt, self-blame, anger, fear, confusion, distrust, difficulty at school and work, difficulty forming and maintaining trusting relationships, increased risk of substance misuse and self-harm,” she said.

The Imran Khan-led government has the resources to work in this area but has done little to mitigate the problem, as millions of rupees has been allocated which lapses for not being utilised, and every year the government cannot establish a proper system to protect children, reported The Express Tribune.

Ansari said that the Sindh Child Protection Authority (SCPA) Act introduced in 2011 but the provincial government has taken no positive steps to implement these provisions that are in the greatest interest of the people.

“These children have to appear in courts later and if they are traumatised, they cannot speak before their abusers. Therefore, there is a need to provide them counselling and family support,” said Ansari.

Elaborating about the impact on children, Mughis said: “The effect of the trauma can continue into adulthood, especially if not dealt with at the right time. Such violence and harassment can affect a child’s thought process, feelings, mental and physical health, the quality of their relationships, their faith and trust in others, as well as their occupational and academic success.”

Some children may become withdrawn and isolate themselves from others, while other children may act more emotionally and sexually mature than is age-appropriate for them, she says, reported The Express Tribune.

She also highlighted that children are not taken for counselling because it takes them longer to get past the trauma of sexual abuse, yet there is no substitute for professional help and family support.

Out of the total 2,960 reported cases in 2020, 1,915 (65 per cent) cases were reported from rural areas, while 1,045 (35 per cent) cases are reported from urban areas, The Express Tribune reported. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Pakistan literacy rate remains stagnant at 60%
Categories
Asia News Education

Pakistan literacy rate remains stagnant at 60%

Pakistani schools

The survey has shown that net enrolments at the primary, middle, and matric levels across provinces have either remained stagnant or shown decreasing trends…reports Asian Lite News

A new survey by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has revealed that the country’s literacy rate among children aged 10 and above has stagnated at 60 per cent.

The survey has shown that net enrolments at the primary, middle, and matric levels across provinces have either remained stagnant or shown decreasing trends, The Express Tribune reported on Sunday.

Enrolments at all levels are highest in Punjab, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Sindh while they are the lowest in Balochistan, it said.

“There are 32 per cent children aged five-16 years who are currently out of school; highest percentage of out of school children is in Balochistan (47 per cent) and lowest in Punjab (26 per cent),” the PBS survey said.

“Rajanpur in Punjab, Thatta in Sindh, Kohistan and Bajur in the K-P and Harnai, Qillah Abdullah and Ziarat (in Balochistan) are at the bottom in education indicators within their respective provinces,” it added.

According to Unesco data, the literacy rate among people aged 15 and above in Pakistan as of September 2020 stood at 59 per cent.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Sunday reported its lowest number of positive coronavirus results in three months, as life returns to normal and business activity and educational institutions reopen gradually.

The national positivity ratio was recorded at 4.96 per cent, its lowest since March, according to the Health Ministry.

There were 3,084 new cases out of the 62,061 tests conducted during the last 24 hours. Pakistan has so far recorded 900,522 cases and 20,251 deaths.

Most of the deaths occurred during the ongoing third wave, as a majority of the new patients were infected by a variant first found in Britain.

A downward trend in the number of new infections encouraged authorities to ease coronavirus-related restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus.

National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the body responsible for the country’s response to the pandemic, will allow the reopening of markets, businesses and educational institutions in districts where Covid-19 positivity ratio is less than 5 per cent, to start on Monday.

Meanwhile, educational institutions nationwide will be reopened in a staggered manner from June 7.

The tourism sector will also be reopened under strict Covid-19 protocols, also starting on Monday.

Meanwhile, a free vaccination drive has started picking up pace, with reports of more than 5 million doses administered.

A Health Ministry spokesperson said that more vaccination centres are being set up across the country as more people are getting themselves registered.
ALSO READ: ‘Pakistan on the brink of complete breakdown’

Categories
-Top News Asia News India News

Japan to impose tougher measures on Indian travellers

Visitors are seen at the sightseeing spot Asakusa, in Tokyo, Japan, June 21, 2020. Japan on Friday completely lifted its request for people not to travel across prefectural lines, with the move met by a return of passengers to airports and train stations. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi/IANS)

The move, which will come into effect on Friday, comes as Japan is grappling with a fourth wave of the Covid pandemic…reports Asian Lite News

The mandatory quarantine period for inbound travellers to Japan who have visited India, as well as Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka within 14 days of arrival will be extended from six to 10 days, the government said on Tuesday.

The move, which will come into effect on Friday, comes as Japan is grappling with a fourth wave of the Covid pandemic amid mounting concerns over the highly-transmissible variant first detected in India, Xinhua news agency reported.

“There is a strong feeling of unease among the Japanese people regarding coronavirus variants, so we have decided to further tighten border controls in order to protect their health and lives,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press briefing.

Travellers who have visited any of the six regions will be subjected to a mandatory 10-day quarantine period spent at a designated facility, during which time they will have to undergo three Covid-19 tests, the government said.

The new measure will mainly affect Japanese citizens who have been to any of the six countries, as the government had already banned entry to all foreign nationals and those who have residency status, who have visited India or any other of the five South Asian countries within the past two weeks.

ALSO READ: Japan concerned over Beijing’s moves in South China Sea

A three-day quarantine period will also be imposed on those who have recently been to Kazakhstan or Tunisia.

Addressing the media also on Tuesday, Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said they were considering extending the current Covid-19 state of emergency declared for Tokyo, Osaka and seven other prefectures due to the fourth wave.

Tamura’s remarks come as the emergency period is set to expire at the end of the month, yet the number of new daily infections, including variant cases, have shown little signs of abating.

As of Tuesday, Japan’s overall coronavirus caseload and death toll stood at 718,864 and 12,312, respectively.

Japan has the lowest rate among advanced countries of administering COVID-19 vaccinations.

According to recent government data, Japan had administered at least one shot to just over 4 per cent of its population.

On Monday, mass vaccination centres were opened in Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture with the state-backed facilities aimed at helping to complete administering vaccinations of 36 million seniors aged 65 or older from a total population of 126 million by the end of July.

Japan began inoculating its elderly population of about 36 million in mid-April, after its vaccination campaign for health care workers started in February.

ALSO READ: Japan approves Moderna, AstraZeneca jabs

Categories
Asia News Dubai UAE News

Cathay Pacific extends Dubai-Hong Kong services

Cathay-Pacific-Airways-has-launched-a-new-WhatsApp-chat-support-service

The first resumed flight was positively received by customers and airline bagged an overwhelming response for cargo with a full load on the flight…reports Asian Lite News

Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific announced the continuation of its recently relaunched flights between Dubai and its hub, Hong Kong, following its first flight which took off on 21 May 2021.

The weekly flight, operated by an Airbus A330-300, will continue to follow the same schedule as May, providing UAE residents and visitors with convenient connections to Hong Kong and onwards across Cathay Pacific’s network.

The first resumed flight was positively received by customers and airline bagged an overwhelming response for cargo with a full load on the flight.

“On announcing the resumption of our passenger services from Dubai, we received a favourable response from the passengers and trade partners,” said Vishnu Rajendran, Area Manager – Middle East, Cathay Pacific.

“Not only was it humbling to welcome back our guests as we took to the skies again, but also extremely encouraging as we look to scale up our global network operations,” he added.

In a further boost for travellers, Cathay Pacific has also launched a new WhatsApp chat support service to provide passengers with quick and convenient solutions to queries through the messaging app.

Customers in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, can now use Cathay Pacific’s verified WhatsApp account to make new bookings, amend or upgrade existing bookings, seek assistance on baggage queries, redeem Asia Miles, and more – all via a single chat platform.

The chat support feature is available in English seven days a week from 08:00am to 08:00pm (GMT). Customers can use the service by messaging Cathay Pacific’s WhatsApp business number, +852 2747 2747, which can also be found on cathaypacific.com.

ALSO READ: 19% surge in new license issuance in Dubai

Categories
-Top News Asia News Nepal

Nepal oppn moves SC demanding restoration of house

Sher Bahadur Deuba

On May 21, President Bhandari dissolved the House at the recommendation of the Oli government and announced the mid-term elections for November 12 and 19…reports Asian Lite News

Nepal’s opposition on Monday moved the Supreme Court against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s decision to dissolve Parliament, holding the mid-term elections and President Bidhya Devi Bhandaris rejection to appoint the opposition leader as the next prime minister.

On May 21, President Bhandari dissolved the House at the recommendation of the Oli government and announced the mid-term elections for November 12 and 19.

Nepali Congress President and leader of the opposition party, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of the Janata Samajbadi Party Uprendra Yadav, former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and dozens of other leaders and lawmakers had moved the Supreme Court.

A writ petition, which was filed on the behalf of Deuba, demanded the restoration of House, appoint him the next Prime Minister by removing Oli who no longer enjoys a parliamentary majority.

Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli

“Due to the Prime Minister who always thinks he is above the constitution and law, we were forced to move the Supreme Court again and again,” said Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa.

Oli too had earlier dissolved the house in December last year, but it was reinstated on by the apex court.

“We have the support of the majority lawmakers and Supreme Court will look after our grievances,” said Thapa.

Of the 275 members of the House of Representatives four are suspended and 136 is the magic number needed for a majority.

Deuba is backed by 147 lawmakers and all of them signed in the writ petition.

ALSO READ: Nepal President Dissolves Parliament, Election In November

All 147 lawmakers from different political parties have verified their signatures at the Supreme Court after the writ petition was filed.

Before dissolving the House, President Bhandari had also rejected the claim by Deuba to form the new government saying that both opposition party leader and Oli secured signatures of the majority lawmakers, and hence it was impossible.

Oli had claimed that he had the support of 152 lawmakers.

Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari reviews the honor guard as she leaves for a visit to China at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, April 24, 2019. Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari left for a visit to China on Wednesday to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma/IANS)

The opposition parties called the President’s move as “unconstitutional and undemocratic” and had attempted a coup with the support of Prime Minister Oli.

Deuba’s move was supported by his own party, Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), a section of ruling party led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and a section of the Janata Samajbadi Party.

Oli’s ruling party, Nepal Communist Party-UML, is a divided house.

Out of its 121 lawmakers, 23 lawmakers have signed in favour of making Deuba as Prime Minister.

More lawmakers would support Deuba but some of our lawmakers are not well and some are infected by Covid,

Birod Khatiwada, a lawmaker said that due to Oli’s working style, the ruling party is on the verge of a split.

Janata Samajbadi Party is also on the verge of split as 13 out of its 32 lawmakers have decided to support Deuba.

A section of the Janata Samajbadi Party is all set to join the Oli government.

It was formed last April after the merger of Rastriya Janata Party and Samajbadi Party Nepal.

ALSO READ: Chaos in Nepal after Oli dissolves Parliament