The Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) announced to halt flight services on Thursday to express solidarity to the strike called by the business community.

 

Issuing a press statement Tuesday, AOAN president Bikash Rana said airlines operators would stop the services across the country for a day on Thursday.

 

Meanwhile, Buddha Air, a leading private airline in Nepal, also announced to halt services for half day on Wednesday in support of the strike.

 

On Monday, the 72 business organizations led by Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Confederation of Nepalese Industries called a indefinite strike in businesses, industries, educational institutions, banks, transport and all private sector enterprises following the Maoist abduction and attack against a hotelier in Kathmandu some days ago.

 

On Tuesday also, the Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal announced to shut down internet connection in the country between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. local time and 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time as a show of protest.

 

The Nepali government has urged the agitating businessmen for talks in an attempt to resolve the problems facing the business sector.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2007)