KATHMANDU: The government has withdrawn 271 security personnel who had been deployed in violation of official standards for VIP and VVIP protection.
The decision was made during a recent ministerial-level meeting, after which the process of recalling security personnel assigned to political leaders and other individuals receiving VIP protection was initiated.
According to Ananda Kafle, spokesperson and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, 174 personnel from the Nepal Police and 74 from the Armed Police Force (APF) have been recalled so far.
The Security Management Procedure for Distinguished Persons, 2077 stipulates that former prime ministers are entitled to 16 APF personnel and 2 Nepal Police personnel for their security.
However, former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, also Chairman of the Maoist Centre, and KP Sharma Oli, Chairman of the CPN-UML, had been using nearly double the number of personnel permitted by the guidelines.
Including other current and former distinguished individuals who were assigned security beyond the approved standard, a total of 271 personnel have now been withdrawn.
The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the recalled personnel will be reassigned to regular duties by their respective agencies.
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