Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 3:

The newly-appointed ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal, Sohail Amin, said his country considers Nepal’s current crisis as Nepal’s internal matter.

“It is for Nepal’s government to handle it,” he said when journalists at the Reporters’ Club asked him to comment on restoration of democracy here. He condemned terrorism in “all its form and manifestations”, but didn’t elaborate if his country had plans to provide technical expertise to Nepal to fight terrorism.

On Pakistan’s willingness to provide loan to Nepal that would be spent on purchasing ammunition, Amin said, “It is for Nepal to decide how to utilise the loan.” On possible Pakistani military supply to the RNA, he said, “There is no such proposal on table.”

Amin said Pakistan was not coordinating with any regional partners to discuss (particularly) Nepal’s current events as “it is Nepal’s internal affair”.

Amin reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to boost economic and trade relations between the two countries.

Citing Nepali tea, which is getting a larger market in Pakistan, as an example, Amin said, “There are positive indicators for Nepal-Pakistan economic relations. We are expecting to increase trade volume.” “We’ve never had problem with Nepal in the political field,” he said, adding Pakistan could benefit from Nepal’s expertise on hydel projects and alternative energy.