Kathmandu: Against the backdrop of reports that New Delhi has asked it to allow air marshals on Indian planes following a hijacking threat, Nepal has said it will take appropriate steps on its own if required "rather than coming under pressure" from the neighbouring country.
This was stated by Home Minister Bhim Rawal yesterday, nearly two weeks after the Nepal government said that it had beefed up security at its only international airport taking anti-hijacking measures.
"If we feel such arrangement (air marshals on Indian planes) is necessary, rather than coming under Indian pressure, we will take an appropriate step on our own," Rawal told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport before his departure to China on a week-long visit.
His remarks came in response to a question on media reports that India had asked Nepal to allow air marshals on Indian planes following a hijacking there at.
Home Ministry spokesman Jaya Mukunda Khanal had said last month that Nepal had received no request about deploying sky marshals on Indian planes.
He, however, had said that police and Army had been on a high alert and all passengers were being thoroughly checked before boarding. Other stringent measures included making the passengers and baggage go through X-ray machines and physical frisking by security personnel.
These measures had been taken following warnings that militants linked to LeT and al Qaeda might attempt hijacking of an Indian plane bound to and coming from other South Asian cities.
Pakistani militants had hijacked a Delhi-bound Indian Airlines flight that left Kathmandu on December 24, 1999 to demand release of hardcore militants imprisoned in India.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 07, 2010, 17:14