KATHMANDU, Aug 15: The government has withdrawn Kanta Rizal's nomination as the Nepali ambassador to Australia following an allegation of breaching diplomatic protocol in previous stint as Ambassador of Nepal to Israel.

According to high level political sources, the decision was made after a complaint was received that Rizal left one of her aides behind when she served as Nepal's ambassador to Israel. The complaint alleged that Rizal took two aides with her to Israel, but only one returned with her when she was recalled by the previous government comprising the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center).

Upon investigation, it was found that one of the two aides she brought with her stayed in Israel. This breach of protocol led to the withdrawal of Rizal's name from the ambassadorial recommendation, according to sources familiar with the development.

Rizal was recommended for the ambassadorial position in Australia by the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) party after she was abruptly recalled from Israel by the previous government. She was among the 11 ambassadors recalled by the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government in early June.

The KP Oli-led cabinet on July 14 decided to recommend ambassadors to 18 countries, including Rizal for Australia. However, when the government sent the list of individuals recommended as ambassadors to the Parliamentary Hearings Committee, Rizal's name was notably missing.

Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the allegations against Rizal led to the Prime Minister's Office withholding her name from further consideration, despite the initial recommendation by the cabinet under the ruling NC's quota.

 
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