Foreign Affairs Minister urged to take initiation to resume Kimathanka point

KIMATHANKA: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been urged to take high-level diplomatic efforts to reopen the Kimathanka transit point along the Nepal-China border in the Sankhuwasabha district.

A delegation led by Nepali Congress Sankhuwasabha district president and House of Representatives (HoR) member Deepak Khadka today called on Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Prakash (NP) Saud, and urged him for the initiatives to that end.

During the meeting, the lawmaker said, “It takes around seven days from the Sakhuwasabha district headquarters Khandbari to reach Kimathanka point and it is additionally challenging to transport foodstuff to the area during the rains. The Kimathanka folks are highly likely to suffer the shortage of food during rains.”

He added that it would be convenient for the Kimathanka folks if they could import goods from China. The transit point has remained closed since the Covid-19 pandemic in China.

In view of the lawmaker, the entire Koshi Province could take benefits from the Kimathanka point if it was reopened and the matter should be the special concern of the government.

Province Assembly member from Sankhuwasabha, Rajendra Karki, said the closure of the Kimathanka point has significant implications on life at Bhotkhola rural municipality which is home to 6,000 population. As the delegation said, the resumption of the point is necessary for the promotion of trade activities in east Nepal as well.

In response, the Minister said the matter to reopen the Kimathanka point is the top priority of the government. The transit point is significant in view of the bilateral trade relations, according to the Minister who told the delegation on the occasion that necessary efforts were going on to re-open it as soon as possible.

Ministry joint-secretary Lok Bahadur Thapa assured that transit points along the Nepal-China border in Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung, and Mustang would be resumed soon.

People’s representatives in Sankhuwasabha and leaders and party cadres from different parties were in the delegation.