Kathmandu: Lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Wednesday raised strong objections to the reported agreement between India and China to reopen the Lipulekh Pass for bilateral trade, saying the move undermines Nepal’s sovereignty.
Speaking during the emergency hour, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey demanded that the government brief Parliament on the deal, which, he said, was reached without Nepal’s consent despite involving Nepali territory.
“It has hurt our nation,” Pandey said. “Our serious attention has been drawn to the agreement between our two neighboring countries to reopen trade routes through Lipulekh Pass without keeping Nepal in the loop. This issue is against Nepal’s sovereignty and integrity.” He urged the government to launch diplomatic and political initiatives to safeguard Nepal’s territorial rights.
Lawmaker Thakur Prasad Gaire echoed the concerns, stressing that Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura are integral parts of Nepal as enshrined in the Constitution. “Nepal has the right to utilize them,” Gaire said, adding that reports of India and China using the Lipulekh route for trade without Nepal’s approval were “wrong” and must be corrected.
Gaire also objected to India’s recent assertion that historical evidence does not support Nepal’s claim over the disputed territories.