Sushila Karki takes oath as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister

• Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki became Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister to lead an interim government on September 12.

• President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office to Karki three days after K.P. Sharma Oli resigned from the PM’s post following the worst unrest that the Himalayan nation has witnessed in decades.

• The new caretaker government led by interim Prime Minister Karki is mandated to hold fresh parliamentary elections within six months.

• Karki was chosen to lead the interim government after a meeting between President Paudel, Nepal’s top military brass, and the youth protesters, who spearheaded the anti-government protests.

• She made history in 2016 as Nepal’s first female Chief Justice. Her tenure was cut short in 2017 by a controversial impeachment motion.

• She studied in Banaras Hindu University.

Grave challenges ahead

• The appointment comes amid grave challenges.

• The unrest began on September 8 as a self-styled “Gen Z protest” against corruption, nepotism and social media restrictions. Security forces opened fire on crowds, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.

• At least 51 people, including an Indian national, died in the violent protests that began on September 8.

• Protesters stormed and torched key institutions, including the parliament, Supreme Court, federal and provincial government offices, and political party offices, while also targeting media outlets, schools, businesses and homes.

• Jailbreaks occurred in several locations, and reports suggest some demonstrations may have been infiltrated by outside actors and groups, further complicating security.

• The move is likely to end days of political uncertainty following a nationwide agitation triggered by a social media ban.

• India welcomed the formation of the new Interim government in Nepal.

• The UN agencies in Nepal also welcomed the appointment of Karki as interim PM.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)