KATHMANDU, JANUARY 13

At least 15 prominent civil society members urged Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali not to sign any agreement, which will have a long-term impact, during his three-day official visit to India starting tomorrow.

Issuing a press release, civil society leaders stated the incumbent government was a caretaker since the government itself had dissolved the House of Representatives and fixed dates for mid-term elections on April 30 and May 15.

The civil society leaders include former chief secretary Leela Mani Paudyal, former chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Surya Nath Upadhyaya, Dipendra Bahadur Chhetri, Rishi Adhikari and Krishna Gyawali, among others.

“Any government that believes in rule of law, democracy and constitutionalism shall not make rules and regulation which have a long-term effect, as per our charter. In addition, the government must not ink any deal on issues related to foreign affairs,” the statement read.

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