KATHMANDU: The Nepal government has declared a public holiday on Sunday as a mark of respect to the former prime minister and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala who passed away on Saturday.

The decision was made by the emergency meeting of the Cabinet on Saturday which was held in the Prime Minister's official residence at Baluwatar.

The meeting had also decided to lower the national flag to half mast for three days to mourn the death of the octogenarian leader.

He is being cremated at Aryaghat at Pashupati Temple. His final rites will be performed with state honours in his capacity as a former head of state.

In the past this kind of respect has been accorded to only a select few. The people who had been privileged with state honours were Ganesh Man Singh, Man Mohan Adhikari, singer Narayan Gopal and former king Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.