FNCCI urges Nepal Police to act following looting, vandalism, arson during Gen‑Z protests

KATHMANDU: Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has urged the Nepal Police to take action against those involved in looting, vandalism and arson of industrial, business and private property during unlawful intrusions amid recent Gen‑Z protests, and to accept complaints from affected businesses.

A delegation led by FNCCI president Chandra Prasad Dhakal met Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki on Sunday to press the demand, asserting that failure to act would foster impunity and discourage investors and businesspeople. Dhakal said the private sector’s morale has weakened and economic activity has been negatively affected.

"Good governance and transparency, the issues raised in the Gen‑Z protest, are agendas that FNCCI has also been raising. However, the recent Gen‑Z protest and the intrusions that occurred during it have caused significant damage to private industrial establishments. The morale of industrialists and businesspeople is low. In this situation, it is essential to guarantee the rule of law for industrial security and stability," Dhakal said.

FNCCI's immediate past president, Shekhar Golchh,a asserted that security is the first prerequisite for investment and added that complaints with evidence from businesspeople, including those outside Kathmandu, were not being accepted. "Even though businesspeople have filed complaints with evidence after the protest, they have not been accepted. Complaints are also coming from businesspeople outside Kathmandu valley and that their complaints were not accepted. This has created a kind of disappointment among businesspeople. Therefore, I urge that this be taken seriously," Golchha said.

FNCCI Senior Vice President Anjan Shrestha said attacks on the private sector during protests are common, but that this time the attack appeared to have been planned, and stressed that peace and security are essential for stability and for dynamic economic activity.

IGP Karki said maintaining peace and security is the primary responsibility of the police and pledged that those involved in violence, vandalism and anarchic acts during the protest will face legal action based on evidence. "Private sector is the main foundation of the economy. Without the protection of this sector, the economy cannot be dynamic. Nepal Police is always sensitive to the security of the private sector and general public. Everyone's cooperation in this is essential," Karki said.

Karki added that those guilty of attacking and vandalising public and private property during the protest will be brought within the scope of legal action and that all district police offices have been instructed to register complaints and pursue cases.

Also present at the meeting were FNCCI vice presidents Sur Krishna Vaidya, Hem Raj Dhakal and Jyotsna Shrestha, and treasurer Bharat Raj Acharya.