December 7: The Parliamentary Hearings Committee has endorsed the names of the proposed candidates as Nepal’s ambassadors to India, the USA and the UK. A meeting of the hearings committee held on December 6, unanimously approved the names of the proposed ambassadors to these three countries. 

Shankar Sharma, Shridhar Khatri and Gyan Chandra Acharya have been appointed as ambassadors to India, the USA and the UK respectively. According to Laxman Lal Karna, chairperson of the committee, the proposed ambassadors were summoned to the committee meeting for hearings before approving of their appointment.

During the hearings, the proposed Ambassador to India, Sharma said that a relationship of trust should be built between Nepal and India. He stressed on the need to build a cordial relationship between the two countries for mutual, financial, social and political reforms.

Responding to questions asked by the lawmakers during the hearing, Sharma said, "A level of trust is needed for the development of economic, social and political sectors of the two countries. If the relationship of trust is established, a lot of things can be achieved easily."

Sharma said that he would use the opportunities available in India for the prosperity of Nepal. Similarly, Shridahar Khatri, the proposed Nepali Ambassador to the United States, said that linking the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) pact with the Indo-Pacific Strategy was somewhat wrong. He also said mistakes on part of both the countries helped to connect the MCC with the Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Khatri said MCC was a grant for development and that the United States has clarified the issues raised in the agreement. Stating that the MCC agreement has been embroiled in disputes between the political parties and within the country, he said, "We need to be clear about whether to accept it or not."

Gyan Chandra Acharya, the proposed Ambassador to the UK, said during the hearing that he would work towards strengthening the relationship between the two countries if he was to be appointed the ambassador. He also said that he would lobby for the rights of Gukha soldiers.

The committee meeting endorsed the names of the nominated ambassadors and also directed the government to make the ambassador's recommendation inclusive.