jasdooit

Kathmandu, September 28 — Online platforms are filled with discussions about how former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, who previously served as foreign minister, obtained diplomatic passports on September 19, when government offices were closed for Nepal’s Constitution Day.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passports Department remain silent about the details of how and when the Deuba couple acquired diplomatic passports. The Deubas were violently attacked by an angry crowd on September 9 at their home in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu.

Other allegations suggest they were attempting to leave the country following the Gen Z demonstration.

In addition, the Money Laundering Investigation Department visited Deuba’s home last week and gathered proof of several currency notes that were burned in a fire on September 9.

The injured Deubas were eventually rescued by a Nepali Army helicopter and taken to the Army Hospital, Chaunni. Both are receiving medical care, and their condition is improving, according to a leader from the Nepali Congress.

Reports suggested that Deubas had acquired diplomatic passports and were leaving for Thailand under the guise of receiving medical treatment. The Post contacted multiple officials from the foreign ministry and the Passport Department to investigate how the Deubas managed to secure the travel documents.

Initially, since Sher Bahadur was a former prime minister and his wife served as the previous foreign minister, they are both qualified for diplomatic passports, as stated by officials from the ministry and the department.

“Occasionally, we visit the homes of senior officials, including the President, the Prime Minister, and other top-ranking individuals, using mobile units that can offer customized services such as taking photographs and collecting other biometric data,” said an official from the department.

A different government official from the foreign ministry stated that the Deubas had submitted their passport applications well before the Gen Z protests began on September 8.

“Since passport services are considered essential, we offer limited services on public holidays. Therefore, a team was sent to capture the photos and biometrics of the Deubas on September 19,” said an official from the department.

The choice was based on humanitarian reasons since the couple was being treated at the hospital. Their passports were issued on September 19.

As stated in Article 6 of the Passport Act, the department grants a diplomatic passport to officials who are traveling overseas as part of their official government duties or specific assignments, following a decision (or suggestion) from the relevant minister, constitutional body, or secretariat.

The 2020 Passport Rules outlines the criteria for obtaining diplomatic passports.

A different dispute involved the alleged visas the Deubas acquired for Thailand, which many believed might be utilized to escape the nation.

Nepal and Thailand entered into an agreement in January 1999 regarding the waiver of visa requirements for individuals holding diplomatic and official passports. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citizens of both nations who possess these types of passports are exempt from needing a visa for stays up to 90 days in each other’s country. An official from the foreign ministry stated that the Deubas do not require visas when traveling to Thailand since they hold diplomatic passports.

Yes, they have acquired the passports. However, since this involves personal information of Nepali citizens, we prefer not to provide further details,” stated Tirtha Raj Aryal, director general at the Department of Passports. “We do not share this information even with the family members of the individuals involved.

Second, the passport department has not obtained any directives from the top authority regarding the issuance of passports for specific individuals. “Without receiving such information, we proceeded to issue the passports,” he added.

In exceptional situations, if an individual is unwell or confined to bed, officials from the passport office may visit hospitals and residences.

“We only assess whether an individual qualifies for a passport. Many criminals also obtain passports, but we are not aware of that. If an investigative agency informs us not to issue a passport, we refrain from doing so; otherwise, it is every citizen’s right. In Deubas’ case, no agency has informed us that they are criminals and therefore ineligible for a passport,” said Aryal.

The passport could be issued on a public holiday since the department provides limited services on those days, once more because passport services are considered essential, according to Aryal.

For specifics such as when the Deubas applied for their passports, what happened to their passports, when they were issued, and who visited them, “I need to check our database,” said Aryal.