Nepal has turned to former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to lead the country as its first-ever female prime minister following a devastating week of protests that shook the nation.
The 73-year-old legal veteran was sworn in Friday after President Ramchandra Paudel announced her appointment as interim prime minister.
Her selection comes as Nepal desperately seeks stability after violent demonstrations left 51 people dead and over 1,300 injured across the country.
“She’s exactly the credible leader we need right now,” said former Supreme Court justice Anil Kumar Sinha.
“Nobody questions her integrity, and she can’t be pushed around. She’s shown real courage when it mattered.”
The scale of the recent violence has been staggering. Among the dead were 21 protesters, nine prisoners, three police officers, and 18 others caught in the chaos.
The unrest became so severe that more than 12,500 prisoners escaped from facilities nationwide – many are still missing, though some have been caught trying to flee into India.
Perhaps most alarming, security forces found over 100 stolen weapons, including automatic rifles, in the hands of demonstrators.
The military has imposed a nationwide curfew as they work to restore order to the streets.
Karki brings decades of fearless legal experience to the role. Born in 1952 in Biratnagar, she started practicing law in 1979 and quickly earned a reputation for taking on powerful figures.
Her most famous moment came in 2012 when she helped jail a sitting government minister for corruption – a rare victory in Nepal’s ongoing battle against official graft.
Her career hasn’t been without controversy.
In 2017, she faced impeachment attempts after blocking the government’s choice for police chief, a decision the United Nations later called politically motivated.
She retired that same year, but her return now signals Nepal’s urgent need for experienced, principled leadership.
