Govt, loan shark victims to sign formal deal today following Singha Durbar breakthrough

KATHMANDU — The government and protesting victims of predatory lending are set to sign a formal peace agreement today, concluding months of agitation after an institutional breakthrough at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

The high-stakes meeting at Singha Durbar aims to codify a preliminary verbal consensus reached between state officials and victims’ representatives during recent field talks in Simara, Bara. Today’s decisive round of negotiations builds directly on intensive structural dialogue held by both delegations yesterday afternoon.

The state’s negotiating committee is led by Pushkar Sapkota, Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, alongside Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry Kali Prasad Parajuli and Director General of the Department of Land Management Yogendra Prasad Dulal.

The victims’ advocacy alliance is coordinated by Avadhesh Kuswaha of Nawalparasi East, with a multi-district delegation comprising Manoj Paswan of Siraha, Rijan Ranamagar of Gorkha, Lakshmi Ghimire of Bhojpur, Kiran Pariyar of Bardghat West, and Nirgaraj Jaisi of Kailali.

Officials close to the development indicate that the final text of the agreement is being reviewed for immediate execution later this evening.