Havoc in Himalayan nation: Political uncertainty continues to grip Nepal

New Delhi, Sep 11 Uncertainty continued in Nepal over the appointment of an interim Prime Minister, with Gen Z protestors putting forward engineer Kulman Ghising's name, in place of an earlier choice of retired Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

His name was discussed in a meeting held on Thursday between Gen Z representatives and Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel, said reports. The meeting was held at the army headquarters in Bhadrakali on Thursday to break the impasse over naming a leader to run an interim government.

President Ramchandra Paudel continued to engage in consultations and dialogue aimed at preserving democratic norms while seeking practical solutions to the unrest affecting parts of the country, Kathmandu Post reported, quoting officials.

“We want a younger person as Prime Minister,” shouted a protester in Kathmandu, even as the death toll in the capital rose to 31, reported The Kathmandu Post, quoting figures from officials at the Department of Forensic Medicine at Tribhuvan University.

Ghising, at 54, is younger than Karki, who is 73. Her name came up in a virtual meeting of Gen Z protestors on Wednesday but later met with disapproval from some quarters.

Apart from his age, Ghising won their approval for his clean image and past work in resolving Nepal’s power shortage problem.

Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, a popular face among the Gen Z, had supported the name of Karki in a social media post on Wednesday. Also known as Balen Shah, the engineer-turned-rapper-turned-politician was the protestors’ initial choice.

Some reports suggested that Shah did not appear to be interested, while Karki cited constitutional challenges and personal reluctance.

Meanwhile, President Ramchandra Paudel assured the nation that he is working to resolve the country’s present political crisis within the framework of the constitution.

“I appeal to all parties to be confident that efforts are underway to address the protesters’ demands swiftly and to cooperate in maintaining peace and order in a disciplined manner,” he said in a statement released on Thursday afternoon.

The statement came amid rising pressure from people for a solution to the ongoing crisis.

Meanwhile, a crowd assembled at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday where operation resumed on Wednesday evening, a day after its closure due to violent protests.

In a bid to ease their travel or extend their stay in Nepal, said the immigration department, visitors to the country will be granted free visa renewals to foreigners whose permits had expired after September 8.

According to data collected by a media outlet from 15 districts, at least 13,000 prisoners escaped from jails.

“There is no unified record with the relevant authorities on how many have been apprehended and how many remain at large. Among those who are still absconding, a large number are prisoners involved in heinous crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, and human trafficking,” it added.

Youth-led Gen Z group, which spearheaded the anti-government protests in Nepal, said on Thursday that the Parliament must be dissolved, and the Constitution should be amended to reflect the will of the people, as the death toll from the demonstrations increased to 34.

Since Monday, the Himalayan nation has been facing turbulence with protestors taking to the streets against the ban on social media which they were using to post allegations of corruption, nepotism, and financial mismanagement against the K. P. S. Oli-led government.

Though the ban was revoked, the protest continued, forcing Oli to step down.

His whereabouts remain unknown.

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