HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

PAC objects UML remark on plane deal

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathamandu, May 25: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives today said that its attention was seriously drawn towards the remark made by the main Opposition Party CPN-UML regarding the Committee’s decision charging former Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation and the UML Central Committee Member Bhim Bahadur Rawal with corruption on lease deal of the China Southwest Airlines plane for the period of 28 March 1999 to 27 March 2000.

The chairman of the PAC Subash Nemwang, in its meeting, said the Committee is firm to its decision. "The decision is objective and is based on fact and truth," Nemwang said.

He further said that they had taken the decision after a long deliberation and investigation. All responsible bodies of the country should be serious to the PAC, he said.

In its reaction, the UML had expressed that the party was surprised at PAC’s decision and blamed that the parliamentary committee had made the decision without sufficient facts and details on the deal.

At today’s meeting of the PAC, MPs from Nepali Congress, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Sadbhvawana Party strongly objected to the UML’s remark while the UML’s stalwarts mildly defended the party at the meeting.

MP and PAC member Dr. Prakashchandra Lohani and Hridayash Tripathi of the NSP said that UML’s accusation was serious. They said the remark aims at undermining the parliamentary norms and system.

Nepali Congress MP Narayan Prasad Saud said UML’s remark against the unanimous decision of all-party meet could not be taken simply. "It is a challenge to parliamentary committee and doubt to our intention."

However, UML MP Shiv Bahadur Deuja said any sovereign institution has rights to make decision. "The party can express surprise or regret to any decision, which is related to it."

Deuja further said that Nepali Congress had also made similar remark against the House body’s decision related to the ‘Dhamija scam.’ He said that the party should be responsible to its reaction.

PAC member Tirthalal Shrestha said the Committee should not be ‘wounded’ by such remark.

NC MP Ramesh Lekhak asked if a political party starts investigating the PAC’s decision then what would happen to the role of the parliamentary committee. "It does not suit to a responsible party like UML."

He suggested that the Committee should draw the UML’s attention in this regard.

The PAC on Thursday had decided that long-term lease deals endorsed by Rawal and another ex-minister Tarani Dutta Chataut at different terms at their office, were involved in irregularities in the aircraft deal. The all-party House body directed the Cabinet Secretariat and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation to initiate legal action against all officials involved in both the deals.

Following his implication in corruption of the Chinese aircraft deal by the PAC, Rawal Friday resigned from the member of party’s central committee and demanded truth be brought to public after a thorough investigation.

Meanwhile, the UML has formed a three-member committee comprising of Standing Committee member and MP Bharat Mohan Adhikary, UML leaders Yubraj Gyawali and Keshav Badal to investigate the points that Rawal mentioned in his resignation letter.

It is noteworthy that UML senior leader K.P. Sharma Oli and Ishwor Pokharel are also at the Committee that is headed by another UML leader Subash Nemwang.

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