Kathmandu, March 21

The proposed envoy to Oman Sharmila Parajuli Dhakal has denied having affiliations with any manpower agency that sends Nepali migrant workers to various countries in the Gulf state and Malaysia.

Parajuli said so while responding to queries of lawmakers during her parliamentary hearing at a meeting of the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee today. She also refuted her husband Bimal Dhakal’s association in such businesses.

“A news media published baseless news stating that I am a manpower agent. Other media outlets followed suit without verifying it,” she said.

Parajuli also claimed that even the Department of Labour and Employment has made it clear that she and her husband were not involved with manpower agencies.

Many had lodged complaints at the PHSC against her, alleging that she had deceived many Nepalis seeking foreign employment via a manpower agency she owns.

Lawmakers had interrogated her in response to these complaints.

The House panel also held hearings of five other ambassadorial nominees— Niranjan Kumar Thapa, Ramesh Koirala, Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh, Pratibha Rana, and Yubanath Lamsal.

Thapa, who was affiliated with Rastriya Prajatantra Party, has been proposed as envoy to Israel, Koirala as envoy to Qatar, Singh to South Korea, Rana to Japan, and Lamsal to Denmark.

Lawmakers Bhanubhakta Dhakal, Chinkaji Shrestha, and Hit Raj Pandey had interrogated Parajuli and Koirala.

Responding to queries, Thapa said that he would try to create a favourable environment for Nepalis seeking employment in Israel.

The PHSC had conducted a hearing of ambassadorial nominee Lakki Sherpa, who was proposed as envoy to Australia, yesterday.

The House panel is set to conduct hearings of five other proposed envoys and decide whether to endorse them as envoy tomorrow.