KATHMANDU: CPN (Maoist Centre) lawmaker Lekhnath Dahal has said the growing controversy over human trafficking under the guise of visit visas has moved beyond Parliament and become a national public concern.
Speaking to journalists at the Parliament building in New Baneshwor on Tuesday, Dahal remarked that the issue now resonates with the general public, not just lawmakers.
“Human trafficking through visit visas and the Department of Immigration has become a matter of national discourse. It’s no longer confined to Parliament — it’s a national issue that demands serious attention,” he said.
Dahal advocated for the formation of a formal investigation body to explore the networks behind the trafficking, which he referred to as part of an organized and deep-rooted criminal chain.
“We need to uncover how far the roots of this crime have spread — who the players are and how the patterns are developing. This can only happen through either a high-level probe committee or a parliamentary inquiry committee,” he said.
Dahal indicated that among ruling and opposition parties, there is a mutual understanding that the formation of such a body must precede any speech by the Home Minister in Parliament and is a precondition to lifting the ongoing obstruction in the House.
“There’s an understanding that before the Home Minister speaks, the government must commit to forming either a judicial or parliamentary investigation committee with a clear Terms of Reference (ToR),” he said.
Criticizing the government for inaction, Dahal expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition’s unwillingness to resolve the political deadlock.
“The ruling parties have not shown the level of responsibility expected from them. Despite our flexibility and efforts to find a solution, the government seems reluctant to move forward,” he said.
Dahal concluded that the House obstruction remains unresolved, and the government has failed to take ownership of the process to break the impasse.
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