Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki took charge on Sunday, just days after the Gen Z uprising toppled the KP Sharma Oli government. In her first national address, Karki pledged to recognise those killed in the violent protests as martyrs, while announcing financial aid of Rs 10 lakh to their families and support for the injured.
The 73-year-old former Chief Justice emphasised that her government was formed to serve, not to cling to power, and promised to step down within six months to allow fresh elections scheduled for March 5.
Karki also urged collective efforts to rebuild Nepal amid a severe financial crisis, saying, “We must work according to the thinking of the Gen Z generation.”
She ordered a judicial probe into the violence that left 51 dead and over 1,300 injured, alleging that organised groups used the protests as a cover for vandalism and arson.
Karki, sworn in as Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister, called her appointment a turning point in politics. Congratulating her, Indian PM Narendra Modi described her leadership as a “shining example of women’s empowerment.”
Life in Kathmandu is slowly returning to normal with curfews lifted, shops reopened, and traffic resuming after days of unrest.