Kathmandu: Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has expressed concern over what she described as misleading publicity that downplays Nepal’s progress and portrays the country in a negative light.

Speaking at a book launch event for author Dr Maheshwori Kunwar in the capital on Thursday, Minister Rana said such narratives were aimed at defaming the nation. “It is wrong to claim that nothing significant has happened in Nepal since 2046 BS. This is not just misleading—it’s damaging to our image,” she remarked.

The Minister emphasized that the international diplomatic community has acknowledged Nepal’s developmental strides. “Every village today has access to roads and health services. The country has made remarkable progress in communications and information technology,” she said, urging the media to focus more on these positive achievements.

She also pointed out that political unrest and frequent strikes have hindered efforts to bring change at the grassroots level, stressing the need for national unity to achieve prosperity.

Also speaking at the event, Bagmati Province Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama echoed the Foreign Minister’s sentiments, noting that the advent of loktantra (democracy) had ushered in infrastructural development across the country.

Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pande added that the provincial government had prioritized development by declaring Pokhara as Nepal’s tourism capital.

Author Dr Kunwar shared that her newly released book would help readers better understand Nepal’s evolving socio-political and administrative landscape in the context of the federal structure.