KATHMANDU, Aug 8: The CPN-UML, which has been continuously obstructing parliament over the recent smuggling of 100-kgs gold through the Tribhuvan International Airport, has agreed to allow the operation of today's meeting of the House of Representatives.

The main opposition party is prepared to allow today's House session on the condition that Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha will give the government's response in regard to the gold smuggling scam and it will protest in case the Home Minister falls short of a commitment to form a high-level committee to probe the scam. 

Although a meeting of the top leaders of the major parties together with Speaker Devraj Ghimire was held at the Prime Minister's residence at Baluwatar in a bid to remove the obstruction in the House business, it ended inconclusively.

"The House will resume at 3PM today. The meeting will be allowed to proceed ahead if the Home Minister commits to forming a high-level committee and if not then we will stand up in a gesture of protest," UML Whip Mahesh Bartaula said.

According to him, the main opposition party reached the conclusion to allow the House meeting to listen to the reply from the Home Minister (regarding the main opposition party's demand of forming a high-level probe committee) although the government, meeting of the top leaders of the three parties, is stuck to its stance of not forming the high-level committee.

"The government did not budge from its stance in the meeting. We have allowed the House proceedings to move ahead for listening to the Home Minister's reply despite the government's unwillingness to form the high-level committee," he said, adding that they will listen to the Home Minister's response and will also create a condition in which lawmakers from across the country can put their views in the House.

The UML Whip reiterated that the House meeting scheduled for 3PM will be allowed to proceed ahead and they would not obstruct it.

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