Attack on Industries and Businesses Unacceptable: PM Karki

Prime Minister Sushila Karki said on Saturday, November 8, that the attacks on industries and businesses by unruly groups during the recent Gen Z protests were unacceptable.

She was addressing the 'National Economic Dialogue 2.0’ organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) in Kathmandu. The prime minister added that some groups had taken advantage of lapses in security to damage private properties. She assured that the government was committed to providing immediate relief to affected businesses and restoring confidence among private sector actors.

“The Gen Z Movement has drawn a clear line between what the country can tolerate and what it cannot,” she said. “It has sent a strong message from the youth that bribery, party levies, and commissions cannot be tolerated, that plunder in the name of democracy is unacceptable, and there should be no environment where honest entrepreneurs are harassed and those who manipulate policies thrive.”

Karki likened the nation-building process to a coordinated system of engineers, engines, and fuel. Nepalis themselves are the engineers of the nation, society and government are its engines, and entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and workers are its fuel, she said.

The prime minister said the government recognises the reality that youth are compelled to go abroad for work, industrial investment has not increased, and the issue of unpaid bank loans has created a sense of frustration across the market.

“Good governance is the foundation for social justice and economic growth,” she said. “The government is aware of the looting conducted under political cover, the suspicion cast upon the private sector, and exploitative systems that undermine progress.”

Acknowledging the private sector’s role in national development, Karki said, “Whether in GDP, exports, employment generation, or tax contributions, the private sector has always been at the forefront.”

She stressed that peace and cooperation are essential for building a prosperous, dignified, and civilised nation. “The country cannot move forward without industries, and the economy cannot recover unless entrepreneurs regain confidence,” she said, adding that the government would continue collaborating with the private sector to address its demands.

Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal said the interim government has been working from day one to help the private sector recover from the damage during the Gen Z-led protests. He said regular consultations were being held with the business community. “The government is committed to adopting a private sector-friendly approach,” Khanal said, adding that tax administration services were being decentralised to make them more accessible.

Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal said the government was attentive to the concerns of the private sector. “The foundation of the economy must be strengthened, and its components must be protected — that is what the government is doing,” he said. Aryal informed that 380 people had been arrested and 150 cases filed in connection with recent unrest, assuring that “the government will ensure full protection for industrialists and entrepreneurs.”

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Anil Kumar Sinha said the government had prioritised revising laws that obstruct industrial growth. He added that his ministry was focused on facilitating businesses and giving high priority to policies that would revitalise the economy.

Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Biswonath Poudel urged the private sector to move forward with confidence and high morale while Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal highlighted the need to create jobs within Nepal to end the compulsion of seeking employment abroad.

Private sector representatives at the event called on the government to create a safe business environment, make laws more business-friendly, and simplify the delivery of public services.