March 4: The private sector of Nepal is upbeat about the government holding talks with the outlawed Communist Party (CPN) of Nepal led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav), as it will pave the way for economic development.

The private sector is keeping fingers crossed for the success in negotiations with the Biplav-led party as it will assist in creating an investment friendly environment, increase industrial production and facilitate export and import system.

Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, president of Nepal Chambers of Commerce (NCC), said it will be a significant achievement if the talks with the party involved in conflict end successfully. It will help in effective implementation of the constitution by ending political instability.

Satish Kumar More, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), said it is a positive thing that the government has initiated talks with the party that has raised armed conflict. He opined that all the parties should come into mainstream politics and empower the country financially.

“If the parties involved in violent activities come into peace politics, industries can increase production and consolidate import system. If the government brings all the parties into mainstream politics, it will create suitable environment for the private sector to work and the ambitious goals set by the government can be achieved,” he said.

Home Minister Ram Bahdur Thapa in a recent Facebook post said that the government has reached historic agreement with the Biplav-led party.

The talks were held in two phases on Wednesday - morning and evening – and also continued on Thursday.

Minister Thapa said that the government has reached a three-point understanding with the CPN and the talks have concluded successfully. According to Minister Thapa, the Maoist outfit has agreed to give up violence and organize all its political activities peacefully. Meanwhile, the government has also agreed to lift the ban on the outfit and also to release all its political prisoners, reads the agreement paper posted on Facebook by Minister Thapa.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Prime Minister’s Foreign Advisor Rajan Bhattarai had represented the government during the talks while Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma and Uday Chalaune attended the meetings on behalf of the Biplav-led party.

Minister Thapa and Bishokarma were fellow warriors during the decade-long Maoist insurgency.

The Cabinet Meeting in March 2019 had banned Biplav-led party after it engaged in criminal activities such as arson, bomb blasts, and vandalism.