Nepal’s March 5 election campaign officially begins
KATHMANDU, Feb 16: Political parties in Nepal officially began campaigning on Monday for the March 5 general elections, following the lifting of restrictions by the Election Commission (EC). Campaigning will continue until March 2, with door-to-door visits, rallies, public meetings, processions, corner meetings, and loudspeaker use allowed. Nepal has 18,903,689 eligible voters, including 915,119 newly registered ones. The Lower House of Parliament has 275 seats, 165 filled through first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting and 110 through proportional representation (PR). Around 3,400 candidates are contesting under FPTP, and 3,200 under PR. The EC has printed over 20 million ballot papers for each system and will conduct voting at 10,500 polling stations and 23,112 booths. More than 2,13,000 staff and 3,30,000 security personnel, coordinated with the Nepal Army, will ensure a free and fair election. (PTI)
Honour killings still a serious issue in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 16: Honour killings remain a serious human rights issue in Pakistan, with high incidence and extremely low conviction rates, a report by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) highlighted. Punjab recorded 225 cases with only two convictions, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 134 with two, Sindh none, and Balochistan 32 with one. Women make up 90% of victims. Social activists and legal experts cite weak police investigations, judicial delays, and family compromises as key obstacles to justice. SSDO Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas stressed the need for immediate reforms to strengthen investigations, legal processes, and ensure speedy trials. Without strict enforcement, honour killings continue to be rationalized and accountability remains elusive. (IANS)
Indian man jailed in Singapore for impersonating prison officer
SINGAPORE, Feb 16: A Singapore court on Monday sentenced 25-year-old Prakash Paramasivam, of Indian origin, to nine months in prison after he pleaded guilty to impersonating a prison officer in emails sent to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and the Secretariat of Parliament. Prakash sent the emails seeking assistance for prior convictions, claiming he had been wrongly convicted. Between 2018 and 2023, he had multiple stints in jail for offences including criminal intimidation via anonymous communications. He also impersonated a prison officer in emails to former National Development Minister and current Education Minister Desmond Lee regarding family matters and was accused of submitting a fake medical certificate, which was exposed when the issuing doctor denied authoring it. Arrested on July 8, 2025, and held in remand since, Prakash was described by the prosecution as a habitual offender with a tendency to send false messages. The Deputy Public Prosecutor urged a jail term of seven to nine months for deterrence. (PTI)
