Nepal's Home Minister orders crackdown following interference by Chinese envoy
Nepal's Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha who has directed local authorities to crack down against illegal activities by citizens from the neighbouring country.
Shrestha's directive came against recent activities by certain Chinese nationals who violated visa norms and Forex regulations, ET has learnt.
Chief Director of China Foundation for Rural Development Zou Zhiqiang — who was involved in Jajarkot earthquake relief work — was deported on January 31 from Nepal due to violation of visa norms. In another similar incident, a Chinese national Qu Winqian was arrested on February 4 for illegal possession of US $25,000/- while leaving Nepal, according to Kathmandu based sources.
Qu Winqian was planning to travel to Guangzhou from Kathmandu via China Southern flight but the amount was confiscated. In both cases, Chen intervened and requested Shrestha to stop deportation of the two Chinese citizens. Shrestha declined Chen Song's request by citing administrative constraints, according to one of above-mentioned sources.
However, Chen was upset with the Nepalese Home Minister and in a sign of high- handedness met PM Prachanda to lodge a complaint.
This move by the Chinese Ambassador further irked Shrestha, who subsequently ordered concerned authorities last month to prepare new guidelines for Nepal law enforcement authorities to especially focus on the activities of Chinese citizens.
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