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Withdraws certain facilities and privileges provided to honorary consuls in the country until further notice

Kathmandu, April 9

After police arrested Nepali businessman Sulav Agrawal, who also happened to be the honorary consul of Kyrgyzstan in Nepal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to write to the Kyrgyzstan government that Agrawal is no more eligible to hold the post.

“He will no longer hold the post now,” said a MoFA source. Police on Tuesday arrested Agrawal on the charge of black-marketing infrared thermometers, used to measuring body temperature from a short distance amid its high demand in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. He had transported 67 thermal guns to Bal Mandir premises at Naxal, from where he was held, in a vehicle with diplomatic number plate provided by the Government of Nepal.

The Ministry has already decided to withdraw certain facilities and privileges provided to all honorary consuls based in Nepal. “As per the decision of the ministry, the privilege of using blue plate and flag in the official vehicles of honorary consuls has been suspended with immediate effect until further notice,” read the ministry’s statement issued last evening.

According to the latest diplomatic list published by the MoFA in March, there are a total of 51 Nepal-based honorary consuls of various countries. Nepal-based honorary consuls have long been criticised for misusing diplomatic privileges for their personal benefits, although the government offers facilities such as diplomatic immunity to them only for official purpose. “In Nepal, there’s a trend of becoming honorary consul just to boost social status. Once a person becomes an honorary consul, they are invited to various receptions and gatherings organised by diplomatic missions. That way, they get to socialise with high-profile people from across the world,” said foreign affairs expert Dinesh Bhattarai.

If a country wants to appoint an honorary consul in Nepal, the particular country has to first apply to the Ministry of F

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