CIAA

CIAA TO OPEN BRANCH OFFICE AT FIVE DEVELOPMENT

REGIONS

Kathmandu, 18 July: Cabinet Thursday decided to let CIAA  

open branch offices at all the five

development regions. regions.

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CPN MAOIST OFFICE BEARERS MEET TO DISCUSS OFFICIAL POSITION ON INVITE FOR TALKS.

Kathmandu, 18 July: CPN Maoist office bearers aee meeting Thursday to discuss an invitation for talks sent by HLPM Wednesday to discuss demands for a roundtable conference to participate in the November elections.
Formal party position is awaited as government Thursday alao
invited the opposition, including CPN Maoist, for negotiations.
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FOUR KILLED, 40 INJURED IN INDIAN KASHMIR
Kathmandu, 18 July::Border Security Force (BSF) personnel fired at protesters in Kashmir on Thursday, killing four and wounding 40 members of a crowd demonstrating against what they said was the desecration of the Koran by Indian security forces, Reuters reports from Srinagar..

India has for decades faced opposition to its rule in the divided Muslim-majority Himalayan region though violence by Muslim separatist rebels has fallen off significantly in recent years.

The state's home minister, Sajjad Kitchloo, said members of the BSF had opened fire on protesters in the Gool area.

"Four people were killed and 40 are injured," Kitchloo said.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, both of which claim all of the territory. They have fought two of their three wars over the region and India accuses Pakistan of supporting separatist rebels fighting its rule in its part of Kashmir since 1989.

Pakistan denies arming the rebels, saying it only offers them political support.

Protesters said four members of the BSF had barged into an Islamic school in Dadad village on Wednesday night and beaten students and desecrated the Koran, the Muslim holy book.

"As the news spread, people came out in protest which continued throughout the night," said one protester, Mehjoor Dar.

A spokesman for the security force was not available for comment.

More protesters, some throwing stones, came out on Thursday, Dar said.

Another protester, Ghulam Nabi, said about 5,000 people had gathered outside a BSF camp when members of the force opened fire.

Protesters also clashed with police in Srinagar, 175 km (110 miles) from where the shooting took place, and some blocked the main road south to Jammu.
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