PLA division commanders of the seven main cantonments have urged the top leadership of UCPN (Maoist) to not make haste to start the farewell process of the 7,365 fighters who have chosen Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and rehabilitation in the recent regrouping process.

During a meeting with Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter's residence in Lazimpat on Sunday morning, the PLA division commanders said the party leadership should put the discharge process on hold until the parties reach an agreement on rank determination.

They frankly told Dahal not to push the integration process ahead until the PLA commander gets the post of Major General in the Nepal Army (NA) while integrating the combatants, it is learnt.

At the meeting, the seven division commanders also insisted that all Maoist combatants willing to join the Army in the regrouping process be integrated in the NA.

Although there has already been a tentative agreed to integrate a maximum of 6,500 Maoist combatants in the Nepal Army, more than 9,000  combatants have opted for integration in NA during the regrouping process.

The Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants had on Friday decided to start the farewell process of former Maoist combatants who opted for VRS within three days. nepalnews.com