The seven head of states of other South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries are set to arrive in Kathmandu on November 25 to take part in the 18th SAARC Summit.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen are arriving in Kathmandu on November 25, Nepali media reported.
With a view to avoiding possible security breaches during the movement of VVIPs and VIPs attending the SAARC Summit, the government has decided to deploy Nepal Army and Nepal Police personnel as chauffeurs.
Senior government officials said the Nepal Army is coordinating and providing more than 50 drivers for the visiting dignitaries while the other VIP cars will be driven by trained personnel from Nepal Police. Joint Secretary Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said, “The government has chosen drivers from security agencies for the SAARC dignitaries as they are more security sensitive, more aware of the nuances of VIP security and can work round-the-clock.”
