By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Jan. 15: Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal, the paramilitary force of the country, has set up 76 new border outposts (BoPs) as of the second quarter of the current fiscal year.
APF has expedited setting up new BoPs from the last fiscal year 2019/20 after the Cabinet meeting held in May decided to establish additional 100 new BoPs to existing 121 till the end of the current fiscal year.
With the establishment of 76 new BoPs, the total number of border outposts of APF in the border points connected with India in the south and China in the north reached 197.
Usually, the BoPs are manned by at least 35 security personnel of APF.
A draft prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May last year had proposed the government to set up 500 BoPs in the next three years. But it has yet to receive a Cabinet nod, according to Joint Secretary and spokesperson at Ministry of Home Affairs Chakra Bahadur Budha.
“Establishment of additional BoPs is today’s necessity to check possible infiltration of criminal elements, curb cross-border crimes, counterfeit and possible human trafficking,” said Raju Aryal, Deputy Inspector General and spokesperson of APF.
“The government is planning to establish 500 BoPs in the future to reduce the present 15-kilometre distance of Nepal’s BoPs to 3.5-km,” said DIG Aryal. He said APF has to establish 379 BoPs in the next three years to make it 500.
India has already set up 533 BOPs along Nepal-India border. Based on the Treaty of Sugauli, Nepal and India share 1,770-km-long open border.
In a meeting held between Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ and other officials including IGP of APF Shailendra Khanal in May, 2020, Khanal had asked for recruiting additional 9,000 human resources to have visible presence of APF in the borders and meet the number in the added BoPs.
APF, which is entrusted to secure national border and curb cross-border crimes, has a total strength of about 37,000.
Similarly, government is executing its plan to set up more than 12 BoPs along the Chinese border.
In many places in the north, APF had already set up BOPs in Olangchunggola (Taplejung), Kimathanka (Sankhuwasabha), Narphu (Manang), Lomanthang (Mustang), Jhangru (Darchula), Kadadhuli (Bajhang), Namkha Hilsa (Humla), Namche Nangla (Mugu) and Buddha Tingle (Dolpa).
Preparations are also underway to set up BOPs in Misyang Chanki (Manang) and Lapchi (Dolakha).