Ex-Chief Justice Sushila Karki named Nepal's interim leader amid turmoil

At least 51 people died and more than 1,300 were injured in the violence on Monday and Tuesday

Nepal's former Chief Justice Sushila Karki will lead an interim government, the Nepalese President's office announced on Friday, ending days of political uncertainty after the abrupt resignation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli this week following wide-spread anti-government protests against a ban on social media and alleged corruption.

 

Widely respected for her tenure as Nepal's first woman Chief Justice, Karki, 73, is set to script history by becoming Nepal's first woman prime minister.

 

Karki was chosen to lead the interim government after a meeting between President Ram Chandra Paudel, Nepal's top military brass, and representatives of youth protesters. The swearing-in ceremony of the interim prime minister will take place at 9 pm, Kiran Pokharel, the president's press advisor said.

 

She faces the immediate challenge of restoring law and order in Nepal following the massive protests since Sunday.

 

Sushila Karki has been appointed as the head of the Interim government following a consensus among all sides, the president's press advisor said.

 

    

  She will take the oath of office as the prime minister at around 9 pm. Karki will then form a small cabinet and at the first meeting of the cabinet she will recommend to the President the dissolution of the Parliament as per the understanding reached among various stakeholders., officials said.

 

The President will then dissolve the Parliament, they said.

 

President Paudel also consulted with leaders of major political parties, legal experts and civil society leaders separately before deciding to appoint the caretaker prime minister, the officials said.

 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was forced to resign after the 'Gen Z' group launched a massive protest.

 

The major demands of the protesters included checking corruption, ending favouritism and lifting ban on social media sites.