KATHMANDU, July 27: In today's meeting of the National Assembly, the main opposition party CPN-UML demanded the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the case of illegal gold smuggling through the Tribhuvan International Airport. At the beginning of the meeting, UML lawmaker Devendra Dahal said that a committee should be formed to investigate the incident with representation from the government and various political parties.
"To establish an impartial investigation into this matter, there must be a high-level committee. If the formation of such a committee does not take place, there might be incidents of corruption and ongoing turmoil in the country.”
Signaling that parliamentary functioning would not progress without the formation of the committee, he said, "Therefore, let's form a high-level investigation committee, and the government and various political parties should participate in the committee."
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He said that if a parliamentary inquiry committee is formed, members of the National Assembly should also be represented in that committee.
"Is it not necessary for the Home Minister and Finance Minister to answer in the parliament regarding the security and management of the airport?” he raised a question. He demanded an investigation into the incident of gold smuggling from the airport involving the relevant minister, airport authorities, and customs officials.
Mentioning that the head of airport customs and the head of airport security were also on leave on the day the illegal gold was smuggled out of the airport, he claimed that the airport customs and police chiefs might have been involved in the smuggling.
MP Dahal mentioned that gold was smuggled through the airport in large quantities on July 18 and said that the issue of gold smuggling is serious. He said, "Nepal has become a 'transit point' for gold smuggling."
Also, MP Dahal demanded an investigation as the names of Maoist Vice Chairman Krishna Bahadur Mahara and his son were also linked to gold smuggling. A few days ago, gold hidden inside an e-cigarettes (vapes) and intended to be smuggled was stolen from inside the Tribhuvan International Airport.
After MP Dahal made his speech, National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timilsina tried to continue speaking at zero hour, and UML protested. MP Dahal mentioned that today's House was held only to pass the loan shark bill and requested not to proceed with other procedures.
After the UML's request, Chairman Timilsina said that the agenda of members speaking in the zero hour had been removed.
