Govt recalls controversial ambassador Sharma from Qatar

Maya Kumari Sharma

A Council of Ministers' meeting Thursday decided to call back Nepal's controversial ambassador to Qatar, Maya Kumari Sharma three years ahead of her tenure in the Gulf country.

According to Cabinet officials, the decision was taken amid protests from Nepalis living in Qatar to call back the ambassador, who allegedly failed to promote welfare of Nepali migrant workers in Qatar.

Earlier, UCPN (Maoist) chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sept. 20 instructed Sharma, appointed under the UCPN (M) quota, to return home following series of controversies surrounding her.

According to news reports, Dahal telephoned Sharma himself and requested her to return. Sharma was first engulfed in controversy, as she termed Qatar an "open jail" going beyond the diplomatic protocols she had to maintain. Similarly, her rude behavior to Nepali migrant workers also came under sharp criticism.

As Dahal himself instructed her to return, it eased the task of the government and in particular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to call her back, according to analysts.

Sharma was appointed Nepali ambassador to Qatar on 9 May 2012 for four years' term. She holds Ph.D. and Masters Degree in economics from Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand in India (BIG LL) and is a permanent resident of Kanchanpur district in far-west Nepal.

Sharma could not be reached for immediate comments. Nepalnews.com