Nepal's former chief justice Karki likely to be appointed interim PM
The Himalayan nation's worst upheaval in years, which killed 34 people last week and injured more than 1,300 as police fought to control crowds, was sparked by a social media ban, now rolled back
Nepal's former chief justice Sushila Karki is likely to be appointed as interim prime minister, a source aware of the talks told Reuters today (12 September), after intense anti-graft protests led to the resignation of KP Sharma Oli.
The Himalayan nation's worst upheaval in years, which killed 34 people last week and injured more than 1,300 as police fought to control crowds, was sparked by a social media ban, now rolled back. The violence subsided only after Oli resigned.
"Sushila Karki will be appointed interim prime minister," said a constitutional expert consulted by President Ramchandra Paudel and army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, who sought anonymity as the negotiations are sensitive.
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"They (Gen Z) want her. This will happen today," the source added, referring to the "Gen Z" protesters whose popular name derives from the age of most participants.
Karki's appointment is likely to be formally made following a meeting at Paudel's residence, set for 9am (0315 GMT), according to a Gen Z source involved in the talks.
The president's office and the army spokesperson did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the matter.
Wedged between India and China, Nepal has grappled with political and economic instability since the abolition of its monarchy in 2008, while a lack of jobs drives millions to seek work in other countries and send money home.
Shops began reopening today, among signs that normalcy was returning in the capital of Kathmandu, with cars in the streets and police personnel taking up batons instead of the guns they carried earlier in the week.
Some roads stayed blocked, however, and soldiers continued to patrol the streets, though fewer than before.
