Nepal's President Pleas for Help to Release Nepali Student Held by Hamas; Emir of Qatar Promises Assistance
Nepal's President Ram Chandra Poudel met with Qatar's Emir Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Katmandu on April 24, 2024.
The purpose of the meeting was to request Qatar's help in releasing a Nepali student, Bipin Joshi, who has been held hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas since an attack in October 2023.
Ten Nepali students were killed and six were injured during the attack, while Joshi was abducted and taken to Gaza.
The Qatari Emir promised to do everything possible to help secure Joshi's release.
Hamas' attack on Israel in October resulted in the death of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 250 more.
The conflict, which has killed over 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, is ongoing.
Qatar has acted as a mediator throughout the war, helping to negotiate a temporary ceasefire in November that led to the release of hostages.
During his visit to Nepal, the Qatari emir also discussed the conditions of approximately 400,000 Nepali migrant workers in Qatar, who primarily work in construction and manual labor.
The Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about the working conditions and living facilities for migrant workers in extreme heat, potentially reaching over 40 C (104 F.) During the emir's visit to Nepal, HRW urged prioritization of labor protection.
The emir mentioned plans for Nepali workers to find employment in other sectors and cooperation with Nepal in hydropower, food production, agriculture, and tourism.
The emir's visit to Nepal is his last stop after Bangladesh and the Philippines, and he will return home on Wednesday.