Kathmandu: The Public Accounts Committee of the Federal Parliament has decided to forward the investigation report of alleged corruption in the construction of Pokhara Regional International Airport to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

In a meeting held Wednesday, the committee discussed the findings of its on-site study subcommittee, coordinated by RPP Chairman Rajendra Lingden, which alleged that over Rs 10 billion was misused throughout the airport project—from contract allocation to construction.

Committee chair Hrishikesh Pokharel instructed the CIAA to swiftly investigate the findings and initiate necessary action. The decision follows intense debates during the session, where Nepali Congress MP Arjun Narsingh KC accused the entire airport project of being riddled with “complete corruption.” He rejected the idea that diplomatic sensitivities with China should obscure accountability, stating the issue concerns a Chinese contractor company—not state-to-state relations.

Political Reactions and Allegations
Amid reports of pressure and lobbying from the Chinese contractor CAMCE, which has denied the allegations in a press release, questions have surfaced about the committee's intent. Sources inside the committee suggest that forwarding the report to the CIAA might be a political maneuver to dilute the investigation, possibly under foreign influence.

UML MP Yogesh Bhattarai, who was tourism minister during a phase of the airport’s construction, expressed his willingness to fully cooperate with the CIAA. “If any irregularities occurred during my tenure, I will go and give a statement,” he said. He also urged all parties, including other former tourism ministers, to do the same.

Despite the gravity of the subcommittee's findings, some MPs and observers claim that the committee softened its approach under pressure from vested interests, possibly from within the ruling coalition and opposition alike.

Accusations of Undue Influence
The Chinese contractor CAMCE released a statement in Gorkhapatra Daily refuting the report’s credibility and calling for an investigation into how it was made public. Critics view this as an attempt to silence legitimate oversight efforts. A Congress MP accused Chairman Pokharel of playing a suspicious role by sidestepping further committee action and sending the matter straight to the CIAA.

“This looks like a strategic move to bury the truth,” the MP said, referring to alleged lobbying by the contractor and soft handling by committee leadership.

The decision now puts the spotlight on the CIAA, Nepal’s top anti-corruption body, which is under public and political pressure to act independently and transparently in one of the biggest infrastructure-related corruption allegations in recent years.