The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government to lift curfew orders clamped along all the eastern and western highways in order to facilitate public travel by bus during the Dashain festival, which kicks off from Tuesday.

In a letter sent to the office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Sunday, the Commission said in view of complaints that it had received regarding harassment and difficulties being faced by the passengers due to frequent checks and curfews along the highways, the Commission had urged the government to make all necessary arrangement for the passengers to travel by buses without any hassles, a statement issued by the Commission said.

Passengers traveling by buses along the Mugling-Narayangarh-Hetauda-Pathalaiya road section in the east and Dang-Lamahi-Nepalgunj-Mahendranagar section of the Mahendra highway in the west have been facing serious ordeals of having to spend whole night at various places even without food due to curfew imposed along the highways from 8 p.m. to 4 a. m next day, the Commission said.

The commission further said since the citizens’ right to move freely has been hindered due to the night-time curfew, it must be lifted.