Envoy nominees face abuse, extortion and conflict-of-interest complaints
Summary
Government nominees for ambassador posts in Saudi Arabia and Japan are facing complaints over alleged abuse, financial wrongdoing, permanent residency and conflicts of interest. Parliament’s Hearing Committee has begun scrutiny of the appointments as the nominees reject the allegations.
Key Points
- The government recommended 13 ambassadors after screening 4,500 applicants, but two nominees are now facing serious complaints before Parliament’s Hearing Committee.
- Giri Bahadur Sunar, nominated for Saudi Arabia, faces allegations of sexual harassment, threats, extortion and political affiliation issues, which he denies.
- Jigyan Kumar Thapa, nominated for Japan, is being questioned over his past Japanese permanent residency, possible conflicts of interest and citizenship-related concerns.
- The parliamentary committee has started confirmation hearings for the ambassadorial nominees and will hear Sunar and Thapa later in the process.
