 Nepal's King Gyanendra has lifted the state of emergency that he imposed after firing the government in February. A palace statement on Saturday said that the king in accordance with the constitution lifted the order of the state of emergency. The king imposed emergency rule on 1 February, taking absolute power and suspending civil liberties. The move was widely condemned both within Nepal and internationally. The announcement came after Gyanendra returned on Friday from visits to China, Indonesia and Singapore, where leaders pressed him to restore democracy in Nepal. Since emergency rule was imposed, hundreds of politicians have been jailed. |