KATHMANDU, May 15 -- The government plans to ban the sale of land belonging to national and international NGOs, consumer committees and private and community organizations until the bodies that have been probing various land scams complete their investigations.

Officials at the home ministry said that they took the decision suspecting that land brokers who have captured government land in various ways may illegally sell or transfer such properties to sundry individuals or organizations to avoid action by the government.

"It is suspected that government land worth billions has been captured by various private parties or other organizations in collusion with government employees and land brokers," said a source at the home ministry. "Ther...