Chiefs of security agencies in Nepal have stated that security challenges are escalating due to the reactivation of old political parties. They said this during a review of the latest security situation conducted at a meeting of the Central Security Committee at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday.
The meeting, chaired by Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, included top officials Inspector General of Nepal Police Chandra Kuber Khapung, Inspector General of the Armed Police Force, Raju Aryal, Chief of General Staff of the Nepali Army, Pradeep Jung KC, and Chief of the National Investigation Department, Tekendra Karki.
Key security challenges identified
Security chiefs concluded that the return to active politics by parties displaced by the recent Gen Z movement has created a three-tier security challenge.
According to the security chiefs, these challenges involve political parties, as they increase political activities, rallies, and public gatherings, Gen Z groups, which have various factions, some of which are still staging protests and Durga Prasai's group, which has announced protests after the Chhath festival.
A specific concern was raised about the activities of the CPN (UML), which is mobilizing youth to stage a motorcycle rally in Kathmandu on October 11.
Clashes and legal action
Tensions are growing between the Gen Z movement and the established parties every single day.
Gen Z leaders, including Sudan Gurung, have filed a complaint demanding the immediate arrest of UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak on murder charges related to shooting orders during the Gen Z protests.
In retaliation, UML-affiliated student leaders have demanded action against Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah and Sudan Gurung for alleged vandalism during the protests.
The police have chosen not to register either complaint immediately, opting instead to send them to the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led Inquiry Commission, which was formed to investigate the events of September 8 and 9.
Weakened police force and unresolved issues
Besides the growing threats, the police force is currently in a vulnerable state. Many police offices vandalized during the Gen Z movement have not yet been reconstructed.
A total of 5,537 prisoners out of 14,553 who escaped from 28 prisons during the unrest are still at large. Over 1,200 police weapons were looted, with around 800 taken by protestors.
The meeting concluded that these factors, combined with dissatisfaction among the injured protestors and the multiple active Gen Z factions, pose significant new challenges for national security.
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