Kathmandu, Aug. 6 -- The government has, for the first time, proposed creating a counter-intelligence mechanism in a new draft Bill on the National Intelligence Act, which is currently under consideration at the Bills Committee of the Cabinet.

At present, the National or Investigation Department (NID) does not have a dedicated mechanism or wing for counter-intelligence, but has carried out similar functions since its inception in 1952.

The purpose of a counter-intelligence wing is to protect the agency's intelligence programme from infiltration or surveillance by foreign intelligence services.

Once established, the new wing will gather intelligence and conduct activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or other intellige...