New hope in troubled Nepal, three ministers take oath

Three members of the new cabinet led by the interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki in Nepal took oath today on Monday. President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath to them at the swearing-in ceremony held on an open stage in front of the President's House in the capital Kathmandu. High-ranking government and private officials were present at the ceremony, which was broadcast live on television.

Om Prakash Aryal, a well-known lawyer and anti-corruption activist, has taken charge as the Home Minister. He will also handle the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. He has experience in handling corruption and human rights cases.

Kulman Ghising, former director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, has been given the charge of the Ministry of Energy, Infrastructure, Transport and Urban Development. He is a familiar face to the public for his role in eliminating power shortages and long-standing load shedding.

Economist and former Finance Secretary Rameshwar Khanal has taken charge as the Finance Minister. He will mainly work to tackle unemployment in the country. According to the World Bank, about one-fifth of Nepal's youth aged 15 to 24 are unemployed, posing a major challenge to the country's economic crisis.

Protests and violence erupted across Nepal on September 8 and 9 over the decision to ban social media. At least 72 people were killed in clashes between protesters and police in various cities, including the capital Kathmandu. Fires damaged the parliament building and several other buildings, including the prime minister's office. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned in the wake of the incident.

Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki took over as interim prime minister on Friday. She was widely known for her tough stance against corruption and her opposition to powerful groups during her tenure as a judge. However, she was forced to step down from her post as a judge under political pressure.

After taking charge as the head of the interim government, she said she would not stay in the post for more than six months. She will hand over power to a new government formed through national elections on March 5 next year.

Karki and his cabinet now face the important challenges of restoring law and order, repairing damaged infrastructure, resolving the economic crisis, and restoring the confidence of the younger generation. At the same time, the responsibility of maintaining Nepal's democratic journey and constitutional order now falls on this interim government.