Oli and Prachanda hold talks to resolve transitional justice deadlock

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ held a meeting on Sunday at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar.

The discussions primarily focused on the appointment of officials to two transitional justice commissions linked to the peace process.

The meeting comes amid ongoing disputes among major political parties over key appointments to these commissions.

The government had earlier formed a recommendation committee under the leadership of former Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra to propose names for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons.

However, consensus among the three major parties remains elusive.

Prachanda, who was accompanied by Maoist Centre Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun, sat for talks with Oli following tensions in previous rounds of dialogue.

Also present in today’s meeting was CPN-UML leader Agni Kharel.

Tensions escalated earlier this week when a tripartite meeting called for Baisakh 18 to finalize the appointments failed to materialize fully, with Prachanda abstaining.

That meeting was attended only by PM Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Prachanda had publicly expressed dissatisfaction over the process, accusing the government of sidelining him and trying to make him a mere witness to already-decided outcomes.