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Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) of the Nepal Army, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, arrived at Sital Niwas, the official residence of the President of Nepal, in Kathmandu, on Friday for a high-level meeting, amid the widespread Gen Z protest that has engulfed the nation for the past few days.
The meeting, which was expected to take place in the morning, has been rescheduled for the afternoon. The meeting will take place with key political and institutional leaders, including the Army Chief, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, and senior leaders of the CPN (Maoist Centre). Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel will also be participating in the meeting. This gathering comes amid Gen Z-led protests and political uncertainty in the country following the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. One of the key agendas of the meeting is expected to be discussions around the formation of an interim government and the possible appointment of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim Prime Minister. According to The Kathmandu Post, Om Prakash Aryal, who has been actively coordinating with Karki in recent days, stated that the former Chief Justice is expected to first meet with senior advocate Baburam Kunwar, legal adviser to Nepal's President, before holding crucial discussions with the President himself. If a consensus is reached, Karki could be sworn in as the head of the interim cabinet later today, The Kathmandu Post reported. The support for Karki comes at a time when frustration over political stagnation, corruption, and economic disparity has ignited widespread protests since September 8, triggered by the ban of social media platforms in the country. Earlier on Thursday, the leaders of the Gen-Z protest in a press conference also collectively endorsed former Karki as their nominee for interim Prime Minister, citing her integrity and independence, following the resignation of the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, after widespread protests across the nation. Youth leaders at the forefront of the demonstrations have also stated that the widespread corruption and political stagnation were the core reasons behind their mass mobilisation against the government. Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah 'Balen' has also voiced his support for Karki, strengthening her standing as the probable candidate of the Gen Z movement. Meanwhile, the death toll from the protests in the Kathmandu Valley has climbed to 34, as reported by The Himalayan Times, citing data released by the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal. According to The Himalayan Times, over 1,368 people have been injured amid the protests across the country. (ANI)
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