Kathmandu, April 8
Nepal’s royal government today imposed a curfew in the Capital with a warning that violators would be shot and also cut mobile phone services ahead of a massive anti-King rally by the Opposition, as clashes between Maoists and security personnel left at least 12 persons dead in the kingdom’s West.

The activists of the seven-party alliance defied curfew at various places in Kathmandu on the third day of their four-day nationwide anti-monarchy general strike.

The alliance movement against King Gyanendra’s direct rule would not be deterred by the curfew order or restrictions imposed by the government, Nepal Sadbhawana Party central member Anil Jha said over the phone.

Rejecting media reports that the Opposition’s protest programme planned for today had been postponed due to the curfew order, he cautioned people against such a “misinformation” campaign spread by the government to “sabotage” the agitation.

Earlier, the administrations in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts imposed a curfew from 10 am to 9 pm, according to a government notice broadcast on the state-run Radio Nepal.

The government cut all mobile phone services from early this morning to foil the agitation.

However, protest rallies were organised in Kirtipur and Maharajgunj area of Kathmandu, defying the curfew.

In other parts of Nepal, life remained crippled due to the general strike, which has the Maoists’ backing, as vehicles remained off the road and markets, shops and factories were closed.

The rebels, who had announced that they would cease hostility is around Kathmandu during the general strike, however, intensified their recent offfensive elsewhere in the country.

“Thousands of terrorists simultaneously attacked various security bases and government offices in Rupandehi and Kapilvastu district headquarters” in western Nepal late last night, leading to clashes with the security forces which lasted until early this morning, an army statement said, adding nine Maoists and three security men were killed in the fighting.

Islamabad, April 8
The government was caught napping in the National Assembly session on Friday as the opposition came out strongly against what it called “a wrongful directive to MPs” not to make direct contact with Indian diplomats.

On the opening day of the lower house spring session, which was also marked by two opposition protest walkouts and an early adjournment for lack of quorum, Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain reserved his ruling on whether to admit what opposition members called a breach of their privilege caused by the directive issued by the Cabinet Division of the federal government.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Niazi and Law and Justice Minister Mohammad Wasi Zafar neither confirmed nor denied whether the Cabinet Division had issued the letter, but said such a step would be in order under the rules of business framed by the government about the conduct of state functionaries.

Both men called for the rejection of the privilege motion moved by Raja Pervez Ashraf, secretary-general of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP), and supported by other members from the PPP and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) alliance.

But the ministers received a partial rebuff from the speaker who said he agreed with the opposition view that Rule 56 (1) of the rules of business they had cited to justify restricting direct contact with foreign missions and diplomats did not apply to parliamentarians.

Initially, the chair too greeted with disbelief opposition protests about the existence of such a circular by the Cabinet Division, while Mr Afgan repeatedly challenged the opposition members to produce the text, as if it had not been written.

But the speaker seemed to change his view after some opposition members insisted that they had received the circular and their cause was taken up also by two ruling coalition members — Kunwar Khalid Younis of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and M.P. Bhandara of the Pakistan Muslim League — who said their similar questions of privilege were dismissed two months ago.

Islamabad, April 8
Pakistan would go to the polls in February 2008 instead of next year as was earlier scheduled while the presidential vote would take place within 30 days after the completion of the General Election process, a senior minister said.

The existing national and provincial assemblies would complete their five-year term on November 16, 2007 and the next General Election should be held within 90 days after their dissolution, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Niazi said.

The elections for the national as well as provincial assemblies would be held in February 2008, he told the media here yesterday.

These would be followed by the poll for the new President within 30 days after the completion of the election process, he said

Mr Niazi said the President was bound to dissolve the assemblies under Article 52 of the Constitution after the completion of the five-year period.

The last General Election for the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies were held on October 10, 2002, and the assemblies constituted on November 16, 2002. — PTI 

Washington, April 8
Judas Iscariot, vilified as Christ’s betrayer, acted at Jesus’ request in turning him over to the authorities who crucified him, according to a 1,700-year-old copy of the ‘’Gospel of Judas’’.

In an alternative view to traditional Christian teaching, the Judas gospel, unveiled on Thursday shows the reviled disciple as the only one in Jesus’ inner circle who understood his desire to shed his earthly body.

‘‘He’s the good guy in this portrayal,’’ said Bart Ehrman, a religion professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ‘‘He’s the only apostle who understands Jesus.’’ The Judas gospel’s introduction says it is ‘‘’the secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot.’’

Later, it quotes Jesus as saying to Judas, ‘‘You will exceed all of them (the other disciples) for you will sacrifice the man who clothes me.’’ ‘‘The idea in this gospel is that Jesus, like all of us, is a trapped spirit, who is trapped in a material body,’’ Ehrman said.

‘‘And salvation comes when we escape the materiality of our existence, and Judas is the one who makes it possible for him to escape by allowing for his body to be killed.’’ Rev Donald Senior, president of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, said the document revealed the diversity and vitality in early Christianity.

“The question becomes ... does this tradition, this alternative story, if you like, in the gospel of Judas have a claim that in some sense is equal to the rival claim of the gospel tradition?’’ Senior said. — Reuters