The process of appointing ambassadors, recommended by the government two weeks ago, has encountered a significant obstacle.
Although the cabinet endorsed eight individuals for ambassadorial positions across various countries on June 21, their appointments remain uncertain due to the lack of necessary parliamentary procedures.
This recommendation was made when the coalition government included the CPN-UML, the Maoist Center, and other parties. However, political realignments have since occurred, with the UML, a key coalition partner, withdrawing its support. This shift has altered the political landscape, yet Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has not resigned, despite his government now being in the minority.
Padam Prasad Pandey, the General Secretary at the Parliament Secretariat and Secretary of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, confirmed on Friday that the proposal to appoint ambassadors had not been officially registered at the Parliament Secretariat. This procedural delay means that the proposal has not been forwarded to the Parliamentary Hearing Committee for further review.
Pandey explained that, according to standard protocol, the government must register the proposal with the Parliament Secretariat after the cabinet makes a recommendation. The Secretariat then forwards the recommendations to the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, which invites public feedback and complaints against the nominated individuals.
Prakash Adhikari, a member of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, supported Pandey’s statement, noting that the ambassadorial recommendation process has not progressed within the committee. Adhikari pointed out the uncertainty regarding whether the recommendation has even been formally submitted to the Parliament Secretariat for consideration.
The individuals recommended for ambassadorial roles include Bijan Pant for South Korea, Sumnima Tuladhar for Denmark, Pushpa Raj Ranjitkar for Spain, Netra Prasad Timalsina for Malaysia, and Abu Sufyan Khan Muslim for Saudi Arabia. Sushil Pyakurel, initially recommended for South Korea, declined the ambassadorial post. These recommendations were originally based on the proportional shares of the then-ruling UML and Maoist Center within the coalition.
