(MENAFN) Nepal began lifting restrictions on Saturday as the country's interim government, led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, assumed power in the wake of widespread unrest.

Curfews and prohibitory orders have been lifted in Kathmandu, although authorities have maintained restrictions in certain sensitive areas. The curfew was initially imposed after violent protests earlier this week sparked by a social media ban enacted by the former government.

At least 51 lives have been lost, and hundreds more injured, since Monday, as protests escalated from a reaction against the social media ban to a broader movement denouncing alleged corruption and nepotism within the political elite. Demonstrators targeted residences, the Supreme Court, and various public buildings.

Karki, appointed as Nepal’s first female prime minister by President Ramchandra Paudel on Friday, is a historic appointment. The move marks the first time a prime minister has been chosen from outside the parliamentary system. Shortly after her swearing-in, the 275-seat parliament was dissolved, with fresh elections scheduled for March.

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