KATHMANDU, AUGUST 16

Minister of Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand has directed the authorities concerned to prepare for repatriation of Nepalis living in Afghanistan.

Home Minister Khand today invited officials of the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation as well as chiefs of four security bodies at the Home Ministry and issued directive to them in this regard.

Expressing the view that it would be appropriate to make an action plan to bring Nepali citizens living in Afghanistan back to the country by coordinating with the international community, he said, "An action plan should be prepared to bring them home along with arrangements of PCR test, holding centre and quarantine in view of the coronavirus pandemic once they return to Nepal."

The home minister shared that today's Cabinet meeting had taken necessary decision regarding the rescue of Nepalis from Afghanistan, asking all the bodies for coordination and information exchange.

On the occasion, Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Poudel, Inspector General of Nepal Police Shailesh Thapa Chhetri, Inspector General of National Investigation Department Ganesh Prasad Adhikari, Major General of Nepali Army Saroj Pratap Rana, as well as officials of the ministries, briefed Home Minister Khand about the condition of Nepalis in Afghanistan and necessary preparation and activities regarding their rescue.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 17 2021, of The Himalayan Times.