Stating that human trafficking is thriving as underage girls are provided citizenship certificates that exaggerate their age and they are then sent to foreign lands for the sex trade in the guise of foreign jobs, Home Secretary Nabin Ghimire said that the district administrations should be vigilant against unscrupulous people involved in such cases. [break]
Secretary Ghimire was directing chief district officers at a Western Regional security conference, which concluded Thursday in Pokhara. Ghimire said that those involved in granting or receiving or helping to acquire citizenship with evil intentions would be punished severely.
Describing appalling stories of girls who had lied about their age to go abroad and have now taken refuge at Maiti Nepal, Ghimire further stated that all would be held responsible from the CDO and other government officers involved in recommending citizenship certificates to the parents of the girls in question if any irregularity is found.
“The government has prohibited women under the age of 30 from going to Saudi Arabia for work as housemaids,” said Ghimire adding, “Brokers deceitfully increase the age of girls to enable them to obtain citizenship certificates and then passports.” He further informed that even girls of 13 or 14 pose as 18 or 19 year-olds to go abroad. Ghimire further directed the CDOs to interview the girls coming for their citizenship.
Ghimire cauctioned the administrators to save innocent people from being cheated by manpower companies and their branches in the districts. “Thugs in the guise of manpower companies are minting money distributing dreams of work abroad,” he added.
The secretary also came down heavily against the syndicate system in the transportation sector, stating that no one should have a monopoly over anything in the open market.
He further directed chief district officers to act more resolutely again increasing crime in the districts. He also warned that CDOs failing to exercise the powers given them to maintain security in their regions would get the boot.
Security and administrative officers briefed the secretary about the resource crunch, among other problems, as the main impediment in maintaining security. Ghimire assured them that their suggestions would be taken into account.
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