The cabinet is, however, still divided on whether to revoke the former government´s decision to appoint Khadka as the acting army chief. "Prime Minister Nepal is exploring if it´s possible to appoint him as his security advisor without reversing his appointment as the acting army chief," said the source.
Prime Minister Nepal strongly feels that Khadka should not be humiliated just two weeks before his retirement; instead, he should be given an honorable exit, the source said. Khadka, whose service term ends June 19, had met prime minister a few days ago and pleaded for his "honorable exit" from the Nepal Army.
Khadka met Prime Minister Nepal after the rumor of possible court martial against him spread last week, "which was anyway unlikely also because of his strong connections with Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala".
Some senior UML leaders, including Defense Minister Bidya Devi Bhandari and Khadga Prasad Oli and Nepali Congress leaders have strongly argued that Khadka´s earlier appointment as the acting army chief should be revoked before appointing him as the prime minister´s special advisor. "But we don´t have any disagreement with his new appointment that lasts for just a few weeks," said a senior NC leader.
NC leaders argue that revocation of his appointment is necessary also because the government should send the decision, along with the reversal of the army chief´s sacking, to the Supreme Court to "facilitate the court decision on a case filed against the president´s move to block army chief´s sacking."
The cabinet, however, agreed unanimously to extend the term of the eight brigadier generals of Nepal Army who were retired by the Maoist-led government in March.
"We have agreed in principle to extend the terms of eight general," said Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat after emerging from the meeting.
The extended terms will be of three years starting the date of retirement in March.
The decision comes after Defense Minister Bhandari on Sunday approved a proposal from army chief Katawal to extend their service.
In a controversial decision in March, the Maoist-led government had pensioned off brigadier generals Nara Bahadur Kandel, Narendra Bahadur Rawal, Kumar Budhathoki, Pawan Bahadur Pandey, Pradip Bikram Rana, Shiva Kumar Poudel, Ramesh Bista and Raju Pratap KC.
The Maoist-led government had given no reason while retiring the generals although Katawal had recommended service extension.
The brigadiers´ cases are currently sub judice. The court was scheduled to hold a hearing on Sunday, but it was postponed upon the request of the Office of the Attorney General (AG).
koshraj@myrepublica.com
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