The third conference of the Nepalese Peoples Progressive Front (Nepali Jana Pragatisheel Manch) will be inaugurated by Nepal’s former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who will land in Doha at 3:30pm on Wednesday.
Popularly known as Prachanda, Dahal is also the chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). He will be accompanied by Chandra Dhakal, chairperson of International Money Express (IME); Lekhraj Bhatta, former Nepalese labour minister; and Subha Shankar Kandel, director of ABC Television Channel in Kathmandu. This is Prachanda’s first visit to any Gulf country.
UCPN (Maoist) Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma and the personal secretary of the former premier Chudamani Khadka will also participate in the conference.
In addition to the inaugural session, Prachanda will meet Nepalese entrepreneurs and businessmen in Qatar. He will also interact with his party supporters.
Homnath Sharma, co-ordinator of the advisory committee of the conference, said, “[People are looking at the] programme with high anticipation as it is the first of its kind in the Gulf region.”
The former premier’s visit to Qatar will also help boost the bilateral relations between Nepal and Qatar, according to the organisers.
Ramesh Bhatta, Chairman of Nepalese Peoples Progressive Front, said the conference will end on Friday, February 21, at Hotel Holiday Villa in Muntaza, Qatar.
Nepalese Peoples Progressive Front, an umbrella organisation of Maoist sympathisers in Qatar, was established in 2007 and held its first programme in the presence of Maoist leaders CP Gajurel and Matrika Yadav. — Usha Wagle Gautam
