Anticipating that an imminent Indo-Nepal extradition treaty will have negative consequences on its nationals alleged to be involved in anti-India activities in Nepal, Pakistan has surprised India by proposing its own extradition treaty to Nepal which bars Kathmandu from extraditing Pakistani nationals.

In what is being termed as a “clever move” to defeat the central purpose of India trying so hard to have an extradition treaty with Nepal, Islamabad is learnt to have even handed over a draft agreement which includes an “exclusion clause”.

According this clause, sources said, neither side would allow extradition of each other’s nationals to a third party regardless of whether there exists a similar treaty with another country. In other words, this provision provides immunity to nationals of both countries from other extradition treaties that either side may have entered into with other countries.

One of the main reasons for India pushing for such a treaty with Nepal has been the growing activities of Pak-based terror groups and the ISI in Nepal. Indian security agencies have always pointed to Pak-based terror groups using Nepal as a transit point to launch attacks on India. This only acquired more currency after the IC-814 hijack.

Even as Home Secretary G K Pillai was in Kathmandu over the weekend to discuss the agreement, sources said, Nepal had quietly conveyed its predicament as it was faced with a difficult situation to choose between India and Pakistan at a time when its domestic political situation was fragile. More so, it was indicated that Pakistani efforts have tacit Chinese backing which further complicates matters.

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