MoHA starts recalling PSOs, vehicles from former ministers, officials
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KATHMANDU, JUL 04 -
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has started withdrawing personal security officers (PSOs) and escorting vehicles being provided to former home ministers and senior government officials.
CPN-UML leader and former home minister KP Sharma Oli and former deputy prime minister and foreign minister Sujata Koirala have become the first targets of the move.
The ministry recently recalled one of the escorting vehicles and 10 armed police personnel from Oli, who had been provided with two vehicles and PSOs from the Armed Police Force and Nepal Police.
Notably, only two escorting vehicles are provided to the incumbent prime minister and home minister in accordance with existing policies.
MoHA has also recalled one escorting vehicle and PSOs being given to Koirala, while two PSOs have been left behind for her security.
The move comes close on the heels of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) instructing the Prime Minister's Office and the MoHA to retrieve the vehicles and PSOs "illegally" used by former prime ministers, ministers and high ranking officials, ministry officials said.
The PAC had concluded that there had been widespread misuse of the PSOs and vehicles.
Some UML leaders close to Oli were, however, furious at the move. They said the move was taken by the Maoist Home Minister Krisha Bahadur Mahara "to humiliate the party's top leader."
"We condemn the act of recalling the escorting vehicles and security personnel given to our top political leader," UML leader Karna Bahadur Thapa, who is a close aide of Oli, said. "The party has taken it as a Maoist biasness against the CPN-UML leader.
And, it is unfortunate that this is happening when the government is led by UML Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal."
Thapa said the government should not have acted in such a manner given the threats Oli has been receiving of late.
MoHA Spokesperson Sudhir Kumar Shah confirmed the withdrawal of the vehicles from Oli and Koirala. He said the move was part of the government's bid to overhaul the existing system.
"Based on the level of security threat, we are still providing one escorting vehicle to Oli," Shah said. "Preparations are underway to recall all unnecessary vehicles and PSOs given to the former officials as well."
Posted on: 2011-07-05 04:32
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