Nepal Army Chief Urges PM Oli’s Resignation Amid Gen-Z Fury; Sources Say He’s Planning Dubai Exit
Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli faces mounting pressure to resign as Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel has reportedly advised him to step down amid escalating Gen-Z protests that have plunged the nation into chaos, claiming at least 20 lives. Sources indicate Oli is weighing a discreet departure to Dubai for “medical treatment,” with a private jet from Himalaya Airlines on standby, even as he called an all-party meeting to navigate the crisis.
The unrest, which erupted over a now-revoked ban on 26 social media platforms like Facebook and X for non-registration, has morphed into a broader outcry against corruption and governance failures. Despite the ban’s lifting late Monday after an emergency cabinet session, protesters defied curfews on Tuesday, storming barricades in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, chanting “KP Chor, Desh Chhod” and demanding accountability. Mobs vandalized key residences, including setting President Ramchandra Paudel’s private home ablaze, torching vehicles at Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba’s compound, and attacking former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’s’ property. Gunfire near Oli’s residence injured one person, while demonstrators pelted stones at Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung’s home.
Oli’s coalition is fracturing under the strain. Health Minister Pradeep Paudel resigned Tuesday, becoming the third to quit after Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari, all citing moral responsibility for the violence that left over 300 injured. Opposition voices, including the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, have demanded the government’s dissolution, decrying the crackdown as “cruel,” while Oli’s Maoist Centre allies blamed his “authoritarian style”. The army was deployed around Parliament, but curfew enforcement has faltered amid widespread defiance.
In a public letter, Oli expressed regret over the deaths and appealed for restraint, stating, “I am in dialogue with the relevant parties to assess the situation and find a meaningful conclusion. For that, I have also called an all-party meeting at 6 pm today. I humbly request all brothers and sisters to remain calm in this difficult situation”. He has delegated duties to his deputy, fueling speculation of an imminent exit.
The protests, led by frustrated youth highlighting unemployment and nepotism, have exposed deep governance rifts. With ministerial walkouts and army involvement, Nepal’s political stability hangs in the balance as calls for Oli’s ouster grow louder.
