Demand for stopping new recruitment to Nepal Army

Kathmandu, Dec 23 (ANI): The Deputy Commander of the CPN-Maoist's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Chandra Prasad Khanal has said the Nepal Army (NA) should stop its recruitment.

Speaking at a press here on Monday, Khanal warned that the Maoists would also start recruitment process in the PLA if the NA does not stop recruitment in it.

His comment comes in the wake of rising controversy over the inclusion of the Maoist fighters into the state army.

Khanal accused the Nepal Army of announcing new vacancies to fill up the vacant post breaching the peace agreement.

He claimed that the Prime Minister and the United Nation Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), which has been monitoring Nepal's peace process, have already been informed about the issue.

The Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) formed in the leadership of Home Minister and UML leader Bam Dev Gautam has been unable to move ahead as the Nepali Congress (NC) has refused to join it demanding equal number of seats as the ruling Maoists, whose combatants are to be integrated into the Nepal Army.

The AISC will look after the thorny issue of integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants cantoned in various UNMIN-monitored camps, Kantipur reported. (ANI)