Nepal

PMO warns against misuse of its name after ward secretary threatened

By THT Online

Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers

KATHMANDU, MAY 17 The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has issued a stern warning after an individual used the PMO's name to threaten a ward secretary in Dailekh district, directing security and investigative agencies to take immediate legal action against the perpetrator. According to a press statement issued by PMO spokesperson and Joint Secretary Hemraj Aryal on Saturday, Kamal Bhandari, ward secretary of Dullu Municipality-13 in Dailekh, received a threatening phone call from a person identifying himself as Prakash Khadka, who used abusive language and issued threats invoking the name of the Prime Minister's Office. The PMO said the incident has been taken very seriously, describing such acts of intimidation against civil servants performing their duties as entirely condemnable. The office said it has already directed the concerned security and investigation agencies to initiate necessary legal proceedings against Khadka without delay. The PMO reaffirmed the government's commitment to good governance, rule of law, and the professional security and morale of civil servants, stating it would not tolerate any compromise on these fronts. The office also issued a broader public appeal, urging citizens not to be misled by anyone using the Prime Minister's name, his secretariat, or the PMO to make phone calls, send messages, issue threats, engage in bargaining, or exert undue pressure for personal gain. It called on all government bodies, local authorities, and civil servants to verify through official channels any suspicious communications claiming to be from the PMO or its secretariat before acting on them. The PMO said it remains fully alert and committed to protecting the administrative dignity of the state and the institutional integrity of the office.