Kathmandu- The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has refuted a false news linked to the Nepal Army. The Ministry has made it clear that there are no clashes with the Army, and has urged the public not to believe misleading and inaccurate news.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense Krishna Prasad Gyawali, said in a press release on Sunday that the Ministry of Defense has always been giving priority to the requests of the Nepal Army.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Ishwor Pokharel and Chief of Army Staff of the Nepal Army, Purnachandra Thapa, are holding regular meetings to discuss and consult on policy issues as required.
The statement refuted the news, and said that the news about the relationship between the Defense Minister, the Ministry of Defense and the Nepal Army was pre-planned and published in various media outlets.
The Ministry of Defense stated that the Nepal Army is a highly disciplined, loyal, reliable, professional and strong security mechanism of the state and claimed that the Army has been implementing all the directives and decisions of the government efficiently.
The statement issued read, “The Ministry of Defense has been sending timely decisions on matters within the jurisdiction of the Ministry as per the prevailing law. On issues that may be decided by the Ministry, the decisions are submitted to the council of ministers accordingly. As per the decision, a letter is then sent by the ministry for implementation in the army.”
The Ministry of Defense, through the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, has time and again effectively coordinated with the Nepal Airlines Corporation to bring in medical supplies purchased by the Nepal Army from China to Nepal via air as soon as possible.
The statement further addressed that “The Ministry of Defense has decided to procure the medicines, equipment and other materials required for the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 from the Government of China through the Nepal Army on G to G Basis.
In this regard, as per the decision of the Government of Nepal / Council of Ministers on 2076-12-16, the Nepal Army through the Ministry and in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs has procured, on the Zero Commission Basis, from a government body specified by the Chinese government by adopting a transparent process in accordance with the prevailing law on procurement of the Government of Nepal.
The allegation that the ministry has delayed the transportation of goods through the Nepal Airlines Corporation is completely baseless and fictitious.”
The Ministry has clarified that there were no allegations shared between the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Army Staff at the meeting of the Ministry of Defense’s Annual Progress Review and Ministry-level Development Problem Solving Committee on July 31.
Report of the statement by Gyawali addressed that “The Nepal Army is committed to completing the Kathmandu-Terai-Madhesh Expressway, a project of national pride that is under construction under the management of the Army, on time and there is no shortage of coordination and facilitation required by the Ministry. Despite some complications, the work done by the Nepal Army so far during the construction of the expressway has been effective.”
