Nepal Airlines has come under fire after a recent social media post showed the entire Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan on its “network map”. Following the backlash, the airline deleted the post and issued an apology, describing the depiction as a “cartographic inaccuracy” and acknowledging the error in the map of India.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday after Nepal Airlines shared a route map on its social media handle that depicted the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as part of Pakistan. The image quickly went viral on platforms like X and Facebook, drawing sharp criticism from Indian users.
Soon, the hashtag #BoycottNepalAirlines began trending, with many urging the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to raise the matter diplomatically with Nepal.
Nepal airlines apologises
After facing global backlash, Nepal Airlines issued a public apology statement on Thursday for wrongly displaying Indian territories in its map, saying that the map did not reflect the official stance of Nepal or the airline.
The airline said they removed the post as it contained ‘cartographic inaccuracies’ which did not reflect the official stance of Nepal or the airline.
In a post on X, it said, “We sincerely apologize for the error in the network map recently shared on our social media channels. The map contained significant cartographic inaccuracies regarding international boundaries that do not reflect the official stance of Nepal or Nepal Airlines. We have immediately removed the post and are conducting an internal review to ensure our materials meet the highest standards of accuracy. We deeply value our strong relationships with our neighbours and friends in the region and regret any offense the post has caused.”
Similar controversy had erupted in 2020
A similar controversy had erupted on May 15, 2020, when the then country’s President Bidhya Devi Bhandari said that Nepal will issue a new map that will incorporate all of “its territories”, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh. The territories are disputed between India and Nepal.
Last year, New Delhi published a new map that showed Kalapani within its borders, a move protested by Kathmandu.
India and Nepal share a 1,800km (1,118-mile) open border. Nepal said it has “consistently maintained” that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), “all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal.”
The Lipulekh Pass is claimed by Nepal based on the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli with the British colonial rulers to define its western border with India. Kathmandu also claims the highly strategic areas of Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, although Indian troops have been deployed there since New Delhi fought a war with China in 1962.
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