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KATHMANDU — Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane has urged Nepal's business community to operate with confidence, stating that business irregularities should be treated strictly as economic offenses rather than standard criminal matters.

Addressing an event in Kathmandu, Lamichhane sought to reassure private sector leaders amid heightened anxiety caused by recent police actions and arbitrary arrests of prominent business figures, which have created widespread panic regarding state overreach and detention risks.

"No one can run a business under constant fear and dread of being arrested day or night like a typical criminal," Lamichhane said. "I want to clarify that our party’s line is explicit: mistakes and shortcomings in business must be treated strictly as economic offenses, not through criminal prosecution." The RSP chairman stressed that his party advocates viewing business-related legal issues through financial penalties and systemic legal procedures rather than detaining entrepreneurs like common offenders.

Acknowledging public expectations surrounding the performance of the newly formed government—which took office four months ago following an historic mandate—Lamichhane stated that the youth leadership is ready to accept full accountability.

"I am not looking to escape accountability by blaming past leadership," he remarked. "Whatever happened yesterday is in the past. In the past key challenges were political challenges focused on constitutional drafting and political transformation. Now, the ball is in our court. We are not here to hunt for culprits, but to identify problems and solve them.

Comparing the government's initial four-month stretch to an airplane encountering atmospheric conditions, Lamichhane reassured investors and the public that short-term challenges would not divert the government from its goals. "Regarding this flight that we have set on course, bad weather may occasionally cause turbulence, but we will deliver you safely to your destination," he said.

Addressing lingering speculation about political instability or coalition friction, Lamichhane dismissed current rumors as minor distractions.

"Since today is the weekend, treat those political rumors merely as snacks—they hold no real value beyond that," he said. "We did not make a promise to an individual; we made a promise to history. None of us has the luxury to step back from our commitments."

He added that while the government aims to fulfill its job promises and governance reforms, his political party retains full authority to correct the government's course if it ever strays off track.

Eight Madhes-centric, identity-based parties have announced the formation of a Progressive Front. Notable leaders of the campaign include Upendra Yadav, CK Raut, Janardan Sharma, Prabhu Shah, and Mahantha Thakur, among others.

They were influential leaders in Madhes over the past decade but saw their political influence weaken in the March 5 elections. Speaking at the programme, Yadav expressed serious concern over the current political situation and the way the state is being governed. Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader Manish Jha has responded to Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen), saying that no one in the government is alone.

After RSP lawmakers themselves questioned the government during Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Shah posted a message on Facebook around midnight, implying that he was alone. Responding to Prime Minister Shah on Facebook, Jha wrote: “No one is alone in this government, which has received this great mandate for change. We are all together. As I said in the House yesterday, I have no doubts about the intentions and motives, but there are some aspects that must be improved.”

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has publicly expressed a sense of isolation in running the government, in what appeared to be a veiled criticism of the lack of cooperation from his own party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). In a reflective Facebook post on Friday night, Shah urged the public to remain patient while hinting at internal political struggles.

“It will take some time for the right time to come. It may be delayed, but it won't be wrong. Don't panic,” Shah wrote. “Sometimes reality can be different from what is heard and seen, and sometimes one has to fight alone. This is not the first time.”

The Prime Minister’s remarks came at a time of mounting pressure on the government. On Friday, lawmakers from both the opposition and the ruling coalition raised sharp concerns in Parliament over governance issues, including a widespread shortage of LPG.

Addressing the parliamentary criticism in a separate social media post on Saturday morning, Shah detailed the progress made by key state-owned enterprises over the past four months. He claimed that concerted efforts were underway to reform loss-making and closed national industries.

Despite these updates, Shah’s candid posts underscore growing tensions between the executive leadership and RSP lawmakers, signaling a widening disconnect within the ruling apparatus.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Rajendra Prasad Lingden has said that his party needs to become stronger to help free the country from its current political and economic crises. Addressing the convention of the RPP Kathmandu Metropolitan City Committee in Kathmandu on Saturday, Lingden described the upcoming general convention as a “milestone” for the political future of both the party and the country.

Nepali Communist Party (NCP) leader Barshaman Pun has said that there is no alternative to cooperation and unity among leftist forces given the country’s current political situation. Pun made the remarks while speaking as the keynote speaker at a virtual discussion titled “Cooperation and Unity Among Leftist Forces in Nepal: Challenges and Prospects,” organized by the Marxist Knowledge Center on Saturday. He said cooperation was necessary among leftist forces that share similar ideologies and political perspectives. Although the communist movement is currently in a difficult and defensive position, Pun claimed that this situation would not last for long. He emphasized that even if immediate party unity is not possible, leftist forces should begin cooperating on the basis of common issues.

A growing number of Nepali nationals captured while fighting for the Russian military in Ukraine are appealing for diplomatic intervention, hoping they can be included in future prisoner exchange agreements between Russia and Ukraine instead of being directly repatriated to Nepal.

Among them is Krishna Bahadur Ghimire, who travelled from Dubai to Russia in 2023 after learning through friends that the Russian Army was recruiting foreign nationals. After serving for nearly 11 months, Ghimire was captured by Ukrainian forces during combat and is currently being held in a Ukrainian prisoner-of-war (POW) camp.

“I first want to return to Russia because I served in the Russian Army and need to claim the benefits promised under my contract,” Ghimire said through messages facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the only channel through which prisoners are permitted to communicate with their families.

In a zoom conversation with ApEx, Ghimire sent a handwritten message to his daughter, who is studying psychology at university. “Continue your studies, fulfil your responsibilities and always maintain your dignity,” he wrote.

Although he remains uncertain about when the Russia-Ukraine war will end, Ghimire says he hopes to regain his freedom through an official prisoner exchange between the two warring countries.

Another Nepali prisoner, Pratik Pun, originally from Rolpa whose family now lives in Dang, travelled to Russia on a student visa after struggling financially following the death of his father. Expecting to combine study and employment, he later joined the Russian Army after acquaintances assured him of lucrative salaries.

Pun said he spent around Rs 500,000 on university enrolment and tuition fees before financial hardship forced him to seek other opportunities. Recruitment documents were entirely in Russian, leaving him unaware of the exact terms of his military contract.

“We were told we could earn around $86,000,” he said. Like Ghimire, Pun believes the most realistic path to freedom is through an exchange of prisoners rather than direct deportation from Ukraine. “We request Nepal to ask Russia to prioritise us in prisoner exchange negotiations,” he said. 

Similarly, Bibek Khakri travelled to Russia hoping to study while working. Financial difficulties eventually led him to enlist in the Russian military. “We do not blame the government because we made the decision ourselves,” he said. “But returning directly to Nepal will not solve our problems. We still hope Russia will honour the compensation promised under our agreement.”

Interviews with returned migrants and prisoners indicate that most Nepali recruits were under 30 years old and came from economically vulnerable backgrounds. Many had no previous military experience and learned about recruitment opportunities through relatives, friends or migrant workers already living in Russia. Several recruits initially entered Russia on tourist or student visas before eventually joining the military.

One former recruit recalled being warned by officials at the Russian Embassy in Kathmandu not to become involved in the war. Nevertheless, after borrowing approximately Rs 160,000 to finance his journey, he travelled to Russia in search of civilian employment. “I only wanted work suitable for my driving skills,” he said. “Later I met some Indian friends who told me Nepalis were being recruited into the Russian Army and would not be sent to the front lines. That is when I began thinking about joining.”

Although exact figures remain uncertain, independent estimates suggest that hundreds of Nepali citizens have joined Russian forces since the invasion of Ukraine in Feb 2022.

Reports indicate that recruitment has largely targeted migrant workers and students facing financial hardship. Human trafficking networks and informal recruiters are believed to have facilitated much of the recruitment process.

According to available estimates, hundreds of Nepalis have served in the Russian military, with dozens confirmed dead and many others reported missing, wounded or captured. Independent observers believe the actual numbers could be significantly higher because Russia has not publicly disclosed the number of foreign nationals serving in its armed forces. The Government of Nepal has repeatedly stated that Nepali citizens are prohibited from serving in foreign militaries except in countries with longstanding bilateral recruitment agreements.

To discourage further recruitment, Nepal has temporarily suspended labour permits for Russia and Ukraine, tightened visitor visa regulations, expanded no-objection certificate requirements for several countries and arrested individuals suspected of trafficking Nepalis into the Russian military.

Diplomatically, Kathmandu has repeatedly urged Moscow to stop recruiting Nepali citizens, repatriate those serving in the Russian Army, return the bodies of those killed and provide compensation to affected families.

Nepal has also requested Ukraine to release Nepali prisoners of war on humanitarian grounds.

During recent talks between Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Nepal formally requested the release of all Nepali POWs. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ukrainian side expressed willingness to continue discussions on the issue.

Ukraine maintains that foreign nationals serving in the Russian Armed Forces are legally considered Russian combatants under international humanitarian law.As prisoners of war, they are detained under the Geneva Conventions and monitored by the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international organisations.

Because they were captured while serving in the Russian military, Ukrainian authorities argue that their release cannot simply be arranged through direct repatriation to Nepal. Instead, they are generally expected to be released through negotiated prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine unless separate diplomatic arrangements are reached.

Meanwhile, families across Nepal continue waiting for information about relatives who remain missing, imprisoned or serving on the battlefield. Many families have appealed to the government for stronger diplomatic engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv. While Nepal has intensified discussions with both governments, many of those affected say progress remains slow.

For the Nepalis detained in Ukraine, hopes now rest largely on future prisoner exchange agreements between Russia and Ukraine.

Until then, communication with home remains limited to occasional handwritten letters delivered through the International Committee of the Red Cross—brief messages that offer reassurance to families but little certainty about when their loved ones will finally return.

KATHMANDU — Prime Minister Balendra Shah has publicly expressed feelings of isolation in running the government, delivering a veiled critique of the non-cooperation from his own party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

In a reflective Facebook post on Friday night, Shah urged the public to stay patient while hinting at internal political struggles.

"It will take some time for the right time to come. It may be delayed, but it won't be wrong. Don't panic," Shah wrote. "Sometimes reality can be different from what is heard and seen, and sometimes one has to fight alone. This is not the first time."

The Prime Minister’s remarks come at a time of mounting pressure on the government. On Friday, lawmakers from both opposition parties and the ruling coalition raised sharp concerns in Parliament over governance issues, including a widespread market shortage of LP gas.

Addressing the parliamentary criticism in a separate social media update on Saturday morning, Shah detailed the progress made by key state-owned enterprises over the past four months. He claimed that solid efforts are underway to reform loss-making and closed national industries.

Despite these updates, Shah’s candid posts underscore deep-seated tensions between the executive leadership and RSP lawmakers, signaling a growing disconnect within the ruling apparatus.