Kathmandu, May 20 -- In a rare incident in Nepal, The Himalayan Times' bank accounts have been frozen and share transactions halted after the management failed to clear staff dues despite court order, affecting the two-and-a-half-decade-old national English daily.

The Labour and Employment Office, Teku, has frozen the bank accounts and share transactions of the management of The Himalayan Times daily, operated by International Media Network Nepal Pvt. Ltd., after it failed to pay dues owed to employees as per a Labour Court ruling.

The office has separately written to Nepal Rastra Bank and the Office of the Company Registrar, instructing them to freeze all banking transactions and all share-related activities, including buying, selling,...