On Saturday, the Nepalese government lifted the curfew in the country's capital and surrounding areas. This comes as calm returns after the appointment of the first female prime minister in the Himalayan country following protests this week that killed at least 51 people and brought down the government, UNN reports with reference to AP.
Details
In the capital, Kathmandu, and the neighboring districts of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, authorities told residents they could move freely, markets reopened, and traffic resumed on the streets.
Mass demonstrations began on Monday over a ban on social media use and quickly escalated into riots, with protesters attacking government buildings and police opening fire.
Although the ban was lifted, the unrest continued over broader grievances. Tens of thousands of protesters attacked and burned the parliament, the presidential residence, and businesses.
Addendum
On Friday, President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister. He also dissolved parliament and scheduled elections for March 5. Nepal's last legislative elections were held in 2022.
Karki, 73, was sworn in later on Friday. She was a popular figure, having been the only female chief justice of the Supreme Court in 2016 and 2017, and was known for her stance against government corruption.
On her first day in office, Karki visited injured protesters at Kathmandu Civil Hospital, vowing to work for the good of the country.
"I will work my hardest," she told an injured protester recovering from gunshot wounds. She did not speak to reporters outside the hospital.
Karki will replace Khadga Prasad Oli, who resigned on Tuesday and left his official residence. That night, the army took control of the streets, and negotiations began between protesters, the army, and the president for an interim government.
Many of the dead were protesters killed by police, and some were prisoners attempting to escape from jails across the country. Among the dead, police said, were also three police officers.
The curfew, in effect since Tuesday evening, allowed residents to leave their homes for a few hours a day to buy food and essential goods.
The demonstrations, dubbed the "Gen Z protest," were sparked by a short-lived ban on platforms such as Facebook, X, and YouTube, which the government claimed were unregistered and not subject to oversight.
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