The Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) has decided to discharge Maoist combatants, who were disqualified by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) during the verification process, from the cantonments and start their rehabilitation process at the earliest.

A meeting of the AISC, which is headed by the Prime Minister, on Thursday decided to rehabilitate the combatants to their communities before the army integration process begins. AIS members from the Nepali Congress had tabled a proposed for early rehabilitation of the disqualified combatants.

According to Nepali Congress leader Dr Ram Saran Mahat, an AISC member, the government will be asked to introduce a rehabilitation package for such combatants.

Other AISC members – defence minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta (agricultural minister) and Mohammad Hamibullah of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Bhim Rawal of CPN (UML) and NC’s Mindrendra Rijal – were present at the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

The AISC has appointed government’s chief secretary Bhoj Raj Pokharel as its spokesperson. At the meeting, the members are known to have agreed not to speak publicly about the decisions and the works undertaken by the committee and that all information would be provided to the press through the spokespersons.

Today’s meeting was expected to endorse the terms of reference of the AISC, but none of the members were willing to speak on the matter. nepalnews.com mk/ia Feb 05 09