KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s private secretariat has issued a clarification regarding the appointment of a husband–wife pair to positions within the PM’s secretariat, stating that the decision was guided by trust, security considerations and family circumstances rather than nepotism.
In a statement released on Monday, the secretariat said the Prime Minister, who lives only with her husband, needed a reliable individual capable of providing close personal support. It said the selected person was chosen because the PM required someone trustworthy who could stay at the residence, assist at close range and remain available round-the-clock, particularly given the couple’s advanced age. The secretariat urged critics not to misinterpret the appointment or draw unfounded conclusions.
The PM’s office also rejected claims that other appointments were influenced by personal ties. It said attempts had been made to link the chief private secretary to other officials by citing matching surnames or ethnic backgrounds, but insisted that such allegations were misleading.
The statement emphasized that the current government, formed in the wake of the Gen-Z movement, has been operating with minimal staffing to reduce the financial burden on the state. It noted that although past administrations had filled most secretariat positions, the present Prime Minister has kept the team significantly smaller.
Only two advisors have been appointed despite a provision allowing seven. Four expert staff members are working even though nineteen positions are permitted, and one of them is serving without pay. Of the forty-one positions available in the private secretariat, only fourteen have been filled, bringing the total staff strength to just twenty.
According to the secretariat, the PM’s authority to appoint the chief private secretary is clearly provided under the Prime Minister’s Advisor and Secretariat Management Procedure (2074, Eleventh Amendment 2081). Other appointments are made through the chief private secretary as outlined in the same procedure.
The secretariat said the government is currently focused on ensuring clean, impartial and fear-free elections in line with the spirit of the Gen-Z movement. It called on all sides not to be swayed by claims intended to divert attention from the government’s commitment to transparency and good governance.
The statement was issued by Press Coordinator Ram Bahadur Rawal.
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