In January 2025, protests against the Pathibhara Cable Car project in Nepal escalated from the Taplejung region to the Global IME Bank headquarters in Kathmandu. The project is led by Pathibhara Devi Darshan Cable Car Pvt. Ltd., part of the IME Group. Demonstrators claimed that the cable car project threatens religious sanctity, undermines Kirat cultural identity, and poses environmental risks. Protests also cited severe police repression and ecological damage, including the planned removal of over 10,000 trees, in their effort to halt the development.

A spokesperson for IME Group claimed that the “project was approved with local consent.” However, Indigenous groups denied the claim.