Kathmandu, May 9: The Government of Nepal has once again reaffirmed its position that Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani are integral parts of Nepal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, under the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, the areas east of the Mahakali River belong to Nepal, and the government remains firm on this position. Borders in South Asia. One line on a map, two governments arguing for decades, and ordinary people stuck watching press statements multiply like monsoon mosquitoes.
According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Paudel Chhetri, Nepal has already conveyed its serious concerns to both neighboring countries through diplomatic channels regarding the proposed Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route to be operated via Lipulekh by India and China.
Recalling that Nepal had earlier urged India not to construct roads in the disputed area, the ministry stated that Nepal remains committed to resolving border issues through diplomatic dialogue based on historical treaties, maps and evidence.
Meanwhile, spokesperson Chhetri said 616 Nepali citizens trapped in online scam centers operating in several Southeast Asian countries have been rescued. In coordination with Nepali embassies in Thailand and Myanmar, 491 Nepalis were rescued from Cambodia, 111 from Myanmar, eight from Laos and six from Thailand and brought back to Nepal.
According to the ministry, more than 21,000 Nepalis have traveled to Cambodia over the past three years, and many are suspected to have fallen into fraudulent scam operations. Efforts are also underway to secure the release of 18 Nepalis currently detained in Myanmar.
The ministry said free travel documents are being issued to citizens without passports to facilitate their return home. The Cambodian government has also waived fines imposed on 102 Nepali nationals.
The Foreign Ministry further claimed that the passport distribution process has been made faster and more efficient. Applicants appearing at the Department of Passports at their scheduled time can now complete the application process within 30 minutes and receive their passports the following day. A rare government promise involving speed. Citizens will believe it after surviving the queue alive.
For urgent cases, passports can be issued on the same day, while applicants applying through district offices and Nepali missions abroad can receive passports within seven to 12 days, the ministry said.
The ministry also stated that a procedure is being prepared in coordination with the Department of Postal Services to deliver passports directly to applicants’ addresses. In addition, preparations have been completed to launch a separate “Consular Assistance Desk” next week to provide counseling, relief and compensation support to Nepalis living abroad.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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