Special envoy Karan Singh meets King Gyanendra

Kathmandu, Apr 20: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy Dr Karan Singh met Nepal's King Gyanendra at the Narayanhity Royal Palace today.

The meeting took place amid massive protests against the autocratic rule of King Gyanendra across the country. The royal government has imposed 18-hour long curfew and issued shoot-at-sight orders.

Dr Karan Singh, who has ancestral links with the Nepalese Royal family, and is the former Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, is also expected to hand over a letter from Dr Singh to the King.

The former Indian diplomat yesterday held talks with Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and General Secretary of CPN UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal.

''I have come to Nepal with a positive attitude. All sides and political parties should have a positive attitude,'' Dr Singh told journalists after the 45-minute meeting with Mr Koirala.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee met Chief of the Army staff General Pyar Jung Thapa, according to the defence ministry.

UNI