British Defence Minister Mark Lancaster’s planned visit to Nepal has been cancelled at the last hour. He was preparing to fly to Nepal on February 6 for a five-day visit. 

Lancaster informed the London-based Nepali Embassy about the deferral of the visit citing his participation in the ongoing debate over Brexit at British Parliament.

Lancaster assured that he would visit Nepal in the coming days. 

“We were informed about the cancellation of defence minister’s visit only two days ago,” said spokesperson and Chargé d\'Affaires at the Nepali Embassy, Sharad Raj Aran. “But we have been assured that the minister will visit Nepal in his appropriate time later in the future.” 

Though Minister Lancaster put off the minister’s visit, a team comprising Brigadier General Nicholas Pope and Colonel James Robinson, among other officials, would visit Nepal, Aran informed.

During the Nepal trip, the team would submit a report of Gurkha Brigade to President Bidya Devi Bhandari, visit British camp and inquire the condition of ex-Gurkha families.

Meanwhile, the ex-Gurkha men, who were expecting to hold a dialogue with the minister, have been saddened by the cancellation of the visit.  Preparations were being made at the initiatives of Nepali embassy to hold talks in order to resolve the issues of former Gurkha soldiers. 

The ex-Gurkha servicemen have long been striking demanding equal pension and other retirement benefits on a par with their British counterparts.