KATHMANDU: Members of the House of Representatives have called for the formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate the wide-body aircraft purchase case.
During Tuesday’s meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee at Singha Durbar, lawmakers urged the committee to take a special initiative in forming a parliamentary probe team for the investigation.
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Shishir Khanal stressed the need for a parliamentary investigation, citing reports that Nepali officials had accepted bribes in the wide-body aircraft deal.
He further stated that questions raised by the Special Court regarding the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority’s (CIAA) probe underscored the need for parliamentary oversight.
Khanal also criticized Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) for failing to operate effectively as a business entity.
Similarly, MP Prem Suwal called for an investigation into the irregularities raised during the aircraft purchase process.
MP Devi Prakash Bhattachan emphasized the need to take timely measures to protect Nepal Airlines Corporation.
During the meeting, NAC Executive Chair Yubraj Adhikari stated that delays in receiving aircraft parts had caused maintenance delays.
He added that intentional delays were being scrutinized thoroughly by the corporation. Adhikari also mentioned that purchasing aircraft with a 10.5% interest rate was not financially sustainable.
He highlighted the corporation’s inability to address requests for increased installments and favorable loan terms to clear its debts.
Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Badri Prasad Pandey acknowledged the need for reforms in aircraft procurement, operations, and ticketing processes.
Minister Pandey informed the committee that he had instructed the executive chairman to implement a reform plan within a month to resolve NAC’s issues.
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