CPN-UML’s Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali told The Statesman that the move was nothing short of “political revenge, motivated by ill-intention.”
KP Oli among five top officials face passport freeze in Nepal
A judicial commission, investigating the crackdown on September 8-9 Gen Z protests in Nepal, has recommended freezing the passports of five senior officials, including former prime minister KP Sharma Oli.
The suggestion has immediately sparked a strong backlash from Oli’s party, CPN-UML, which has labeled the move as politically motivated.
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The commission, led by chairperson Gauri Bahadur Karki, announced that it had put forward the names to ensure accountability as its inquiry moves ahead. The list includes former home minister Ramesh Lekhak, then home secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, ex-National Investigation Department chief Hutaraj Thapa, and former Kathmandu chief district officer Chhabi Rijal, along with Oli.
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The decision came almost a year after the Gen Z protests shook Nepal, leaving dozens dead after security forces used excessive force. The Oli government that was toppled on the second day of the demonstrations has been widely blamed for the bloodshed.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) later reported that the administration failed to anticipate the scale of the uprising and that the security forces’ low morale worsened the situation, leading to devastating loss of life and property in September.
Reacting sharply to the recommendation to freeze passports, CPN-UML’s secretariat, in a meeting in Gundu, Bhaktapur on Sunday, issued a statement raising strong objection to the move. Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali told The Statesman that the move was nothing short of “political revenge, motivated by ill-intention”.
“Oli himself had assured that he would not leave the country in limbo. The commission has not even started its investigation, so there was no reason to revoke passports. The Home Ministry has been conducting a media trial against us for days. We condemn this move,” Gyawali said.
He also claimed that the home minister had previously directed police not to pursue the case, saying it was outside their jurisdiction. “This only feeds the ill intentions of certain groups,” he added.
The controversy is unfolding against the backdrop of an uncertain political climate. Many self-proclaimed Gen Z activists have warned they will not accept the participation of older political parties in the next elections.
Gyawali argued that the government’s silence on these threats could delay or derail the polls. “Elections are a democratic process. If free and fair elections are held, UML will definitely participate. But under these conditions, it is unlikely elections will take place on time,” he said.
He further noted that several MPs from the recently dissolved parliament have questioned the legality of the dissolution itself, which UML believes was unconstitutional.
Whether the commission’s recommendation leads to prosecutions or ends up as another forgotten file, like many past inquiries, will be a test of the government’s promise of accountability. For now, the freeze order has deepened political divisions and added another layer of tension to Nepal’s fragile democratic journey.
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