Govt to review AISC makeup

KATHMANDU, Nov 9 - Regular business at the Legislature-Parliament went ahead Saturday after Finance Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai stated the government's commitment to reconsidering the makeup of the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC). The Terai Madhesh Loktantraki Party (TMLP) had warned on Friday that it would disrupt parliamentary proceedings unless ...

Taking special time at the Constituent Assembly meeting held in its capacity as Legsilature-Parliament, Dr. Bhattarai said that the government was ready to move ahead, forging a political consensus while taking any crucial decision.

Bhattarai said, "The government is ready to review its decision and induct representatives from other parties into the AISC or restructure it on the basis of political consensus.

Although the interim constitution says that 'major parties' will be represented in the AISC, it does not name which are the major parties.

The government has no intention of singling out any political party and calling it major or minor but wants to move forward on the basis of political consensus, he added.

Defending the government decision to form an AISC comprising representatives of the four big parties in the CA -- CPN (Maoist), CPN-UML, Madheshi Janadhikar Forum and Nepali Congress, Bhattarai said the decision was meant just to start work on the supervision, integration and rehabilitation of the CPN(Maoist) fighters.

Referring to the seven-point understanding reached among the then seven-party alliance on June 25, wherein they had agreed to accomplish the integration and rehabilitation process for Maoist fighters within six months, Bhattarai said, "The government's decision is aimed at avoiding any possible practical difficulties in this regard.

He also gave an assurance that the government would maintain the spirit of proportional representation while constituting all high-level political and peace-related commissions, making political appointments and effecting transfers and promotions in the civil service.

Regarding the TMLP demand for withdrawal of cases filed against 319 people in Kapilvastu district, Bhattarai said Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had already directed the authorities concerned to expedite the necessary procedures.

Immediately after receiving the government's commitment through Minister Bhattarai to address their demands, TMLP leader Hridayesh Tripathi said that his party has put off its previously announced programme to disrupt Saturday's parliamentary session as the government has agreed to address their demands.