KATHMANDU, Dec. 7 -- Lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties have criticized the government for not showing seriousness about border security after two ministers skipped a parliamentary summons to answer questions over the issue.

During a meeting of the State Directives, Policy and Liability Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee of the National Assembly on Friday, lawmakers came down hard on Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali and Minister for Land Management and Cooperatives Padma Aryal for their failure to appear at the committee as summoned.

Ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leaders including Bhim Rawal and Pampha Bhusal as well as main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) leader Minendra Rijal accused the government...