Jan 07, Kathmandu- MPs have demanded the formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate the Wide-body aircraft scandal.

In a meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee under the House of Representatives held at Singha Durbar on Tuesday, they took special initiative to form a parliamentary committee to investigate the wide-body aircraft case.

In the meeting, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) MP Shishir Khanal said that since it has been made public that bribes were paid to Nepali officials in the wide-body aircraft case, the matter should be investigated by a parliamentary committee.

He said that the committee itself should take the initiative to form a parliamentary inquiry committee as the special court had also raised questions about the investigation conducted by the CIAA. He argued that the Airline Corporation has not been able to function professionally.

Similarly, MP Prem Suwal said that an investigation should be conducted into the issues raised during the purchase of aircraft by the Airline Corporation.

Similarly, MP Devi Prakash Bhattachan said that necessary steps should be taken in time to protect the Airline Corporation.

In the meeting, Nepal Airlines Corporation Executive Chairman Yubaraj Adhikari said that the corporation is meticulously investigating the deliberate delays in the maintenance work due to the lack of timely supplies.

He said that the issue of buying aircraft at 10.5 percent interest and making a profit is not appropriate. Adhikari mentioned that despite the demand for increasing the installments and appropriate concessions to repay the corporation's debt, it has not been addressed.

In the meeting, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey expressed the view that improvements need to be made, starting from the aircraft purchase issue to the operation and ticket distribution.

Minister Pandey also informed that he has instructed the Executive Chairman of the Nepal Airlines Corporation to work on a reform plan with a period of one month to resolve the problems.