Bar body raps govt

KATHMANDU: The Tanahun-Kathmandu Lawyers’ Forum on Wednesday condemned the arrest and beating up of lawyers, journalists, human rights activists and political activists participating in pro-democracy programmes. “This inhuman behaviour of the government is regrettable,” a joint press release issued by the Forum chairman Upendra Keshari Neupane and secretary Yadunath Khanal said. “There will be no rule of law in the country unless the supremacy of the Constitution is acknowledged and democracy restored,” the statement said. It urged all people to participate in the agitation. The Forum has also asked for the immediate release of all political detainees. — HNS

Support for stir

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Agriculture Association and the Nepal Veterinary Chemist & Druggist Association, in separate statements issued on Wednesday, expressed their solidarity with the ongoing movement for the restoration of democracy and condemned the atrocious behaviour of security personnel towards demonstrators. — HNS

Bar on blood donation

KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress on Wednesday said that police prevented the detainees kept in the Women’s Development Training Centre at Jawalakhel from donating blood to people injured in pro-democracy demonstrations. NC said the police intervened in the blood donation programme at the direction of Home Minister Kamal Thapa. Police stopped the blood donation programme after a team of the Nepal Red Cross Society had already initiated work for collecting the blood. — HNS

KMC bans smoking

KATHMANDU: The eleventh Board meeting of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) held on Wednesday decided to declare all its offices “No-Smoking zones” to be effective from the first day of Nepali New Year 2063 BS. — HNS

Govt employees strike

KATHMANDU: Employees of various government-owned banks and corporations on Wednesday defied government warnings to strike work. Nepal Rastriya Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank, Agriculture Development Bank, Nepal Telecom, among other organisations, were crippled on Wednesday due the employees’ strike in support of the movement for the restoration of democracy. — HNS